895.01/3–145: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Hurley )
473. Reurtel 329, March 1, 8:00 a.m. You may inform Tjo Sowang as follows: [Page 1025]
- (1)
- That the matter of the utilization of Koreans in the war effort against Japan is one for consideration by the military authorities and that any proposals which he may wish to bring forward for participation in the war effort by Koreans in China might appropriately be taken up by him with the commander of that theatre.
- (2)
- That by agreement among the sponsoring powers invitations to the San Francisco Conference were extended only to those nations which were United Nations on March 1, 1945. Provision is not being made for observers from other nations.20
For your confidential information: It is not clear to the Department what useful purpose would be served by the proposed visit of Tjo So-wang to this country. If, however, after exploring the situation with the applicant and, in your discretion, with the Chinese Foreign Office, it appears that the visit would contribute in some appreciable way to the war effort, you may issue him a three (two) visa as a private Korean citizen and not as an official of the “Korean Provisional Government”.
- In a letter of March 28, 1945, the Secretary of State replied to a letter of March 8 from Dr. Syngman Rhee requesting admittance of Korea to the forthcoming United Nations Conference at San Francisco. The reply stated that the Department of State was not in a position to give favorable consideration to the request for reasons set forth in this paragraph. (500.CC/3–845)↩