800.91293/19: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:20 p.m.]
556. We have just been told by informed persons that Associated Press has designated Maurice Votaw, American employee of Party Information Ministry, as its representative on projected press correspondent’s trip to Yenan (Embassy’s 456, March 11 [10]). Foreign correspondents here are greatly perturbed over Votaw’s appointment as he has long record of service with Ministry and is close to Mesdames Chiang and Kung. They feel that in view of importance of impartial story on trip AP, with its wide news distribution, in the United States, should not have as representative a man known to be “Kuomintang stooge” and that AP would not approve such a choice if its American heads knew his background. One British correspondent states he will expose story of Votaw if latter represents AP on trip. Votaw, [Page 390] who has in past represented Baltimore Sun, has told informants he will make trip as representative of AP and “other organizations” but not as representative of Ministry. Informants point out that Reuters is likely to be represented by its Chinese correspondent (who is close to high Kuomintang circles) and UP either by inexperienced American or by its Chinese correspondent and that if Votaw represents AP, most widely distributed reports on Yenan trip will be completely biased. Chungking chief AP correspondent Spencer Moosa (British) is not making trip. Information Ministry is said to have announced indefinite postponement of trip pending arrival at Chungking of Lin Pai-hsu, Chairman Yenan Border Government.
We believe that in view of importance of unbiased presentation of Communist problem by American correspondents to American people, particularly by AP, and likelihood of ultimate disclosure of Votaw’s connections (which might be embarrassing to AP) that the Department might discreetly and in strictest confidence inform AP heads in Washington of foregoing. Matter is of course of some delicacy (it would be embarrassing to us if our part in the matter should become known) but information could be communicated informally to AP as indicating attitude of other journalists in Chungking.
Informants are experienced American newspapermen of highest integrity who are not here as correspondents but who fully agree with correspondents’ views above described.