102.78/4–3046: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Davis) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 30—3:10 a.m.]
734. For Agriculture from Dawson. Reference Wheeler’s letter of March 27 regarding objectives and qualifications of agricultural mission [Page 1281] proceeding to China sometime in June, McDaniel31 and I recently conferred with Minister and Vice Minister at some length on this subject.32 I have also briefly contacted Dr. Sie, just recently returned from Washington, who is conferring further with the Minister explaining further your conferences in Washington this subject.
Results our conferences Minister and Vice Minister as follows:
- 1.
- Ready agreement on all points regarding objectives.
- 2.
- Revised setup on types and qualifications of members seems an improvement over previous lines.
- 3.
- Endeavor will be made to name collaborators as soon as possible. In some cases it will be difficult to secure persons who can devote all of their time to the work but the best possible arrangement will be carried out and I believe able representatives will be secured.
- 4.
- Steps have been taken to ask the Executive Yuan to extend invitation that mission be attached to that body. This will give the mission the technical position that you suggest desirable so far as possible but responsibility for planned activities will be assigned the Ministry [of] Agriculture by Executive Yuan. Dr. Shen,33 more closely identified with this project from its conception than anyone in Ministry, will meet mission when it lands and he and members of this office will spend some time with them.
- 5.
- Tentative program for mission being made out by Dr. Shen for Minister Agriculture. Summary will be radioed to you later. Now plan mission spend some time Shanghai and make contacts from this center, then travel other points necessary for survey, only considering Nanking as point of travel. As now planned mission will make headquarters in Nanking. Final report and conferences Ministry officials will probably be held there. Minister just called that Dr. Sie is nominated representative if Moyer cannot act as prearranged suggested my radio 714, April 26.34 [Dawson.]
Sent to Department as 734; repeated to Nanking as 419.