Foreign Relations of the United States, 1946, The Far East: China, Volume X

893.85/1–3046: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Embassy in China

Washington, January 30, 1946—8 p.m.

185. For General Marshall personal from Colonel Davis.³⁸ WSA³⁹ has been providing six Liberty ships for shuttle operation between Chingwangtao and Shanghai and Tsingtao. These ships are primarily engaged in the transportation of essential coal. The ships are manned by American crews and chartered to the Chinese Government on a per diem reimbursement basis.

Chinese Government, through Dr. Wang, Chairman, Chinese Supply Commission, now requests WSA to provide two additional Liberty ships in this service on same basis for transportation of essential Government cargo such as flour, cereal, salt, cloth, vegetable oil, etc. If you approve, WSA proposes to make the two additional Liberties available if WSA representative Shanghai concurs in essentiality Chinese need.

As this requirement is stated by the Chinese to be essential to maintenance of basic economy and apparently does not conflict with your mission, recommend you approve proposal. [Davis.]

Byrnes

38. Col. James C. Davis, General Marshall’s representative in Washington.
39. War Shipping Administration.