124.93/3–2047: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China ( Stuart )
326. President has approved Directive authorizing Ambassador exercise over-all supervision and coordination basic policies governing all official American activities in China and authorizing Embassy establish Executive Office of Embassy, Army and Navy personnel to assist in discharging this responsibility with respect to military activities. War and Navy Departments being asked to detail personnel to serve in Executive Office.
Instruction no. 283, March 14, regarding details being forwarded [Page 1431] air pouch. In view lack precedents Dept not laying down specific rules for activities of Office, believing procedures can best be worked out through experience and experimentation within framework Presidential Directive. Believed desirable, however, all communications regarding activities of Office should be through Embassy channels, which should not preclude use by Army and Navy representatives of their own channels in seeking instructions from their Depts or agencies. As Army and Navy expected name general and flag officer, respectively, as chief representatives in Office, it would seem desirable to have Minister-Counselor as chief Embassy representative.