711.93/12–945: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan ( MacArthur )

194. For Atcheson, Acting Political Adviser, from Far Eastern Office. In statement before Senate Foreign Relations Committee on December 728 Secretary stated inter alia:

“The officer in charge of an American mission in a foreign country bears the responsibility for full and accurate reporting of the factors and events which are necessary to the intelligent formulation and execution of United States foreign policy.…29 It is difficult to understand how Mr. Atcheson failed in any way to observe the letter or the spirit of these rules and traditions. His telegram of February 2830 was a full and free report of the current situation in China as he saw it. His recommendation was an honest effort to assist the Department of State in the formulation of its future policy in China. There is nothing to indicate that he sought to circumvent his superior in making this report and recommendation. On the contrary the telegram expressly suggested that this was a matter upon which the views of Ambassador Hurley should be sought by the Department in Washington.… It is not my purpose to dwell at greater length upon the two documents [Atcheson’s telegram and Service’s report].31 In my opinion, based upon the information which has thus far been presented to me, there is nothing in them to support the charge that either Mr. Atcheson or Mr. Service was guilty of the slightest disloyalty to his superior officers.”

Full text of statement being airmailed. So far as we can ascertain the incident may now be considered closed.

Byrnes
  1. Department of State Bulletin, December 9, 1945, p. 930.
  2. Omissions indicated in the original telegram.
  3. Telegram No. 324, February 28, 1 p.m., p. 242.
  4. Brackets appear in the original. For report No. 43, October 12, 1944, by the Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Service), enclosing memorandum of conversation of October 10, one of the documents upon which the Ambassador based his charges, see Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. vi, p. 636.