893.20 Missions/4–2447
The Secretary of War (Patterson) to the
Acting Secretary of State
Washington, 24 April
1947.
Dear Mr. Secretary: There is enclosed a copy of
the letter which I have this date sent to the Secretary of the Navy. I
propose for your consideration that the best action we can take at the
present time in connection with formalizing our missions to China is to set
up the joint mission approved by the President.
Sincerely yours,
[Enclosure]
The Secretary of War (Patterson) to
the Secretary of the Navy (Forrestal)
Washington, 24 April
1947.
Dear Mr. Secretary: Reference your letter of
15 April 1947 concerning an Advisory Group to China, I suggest it would
be most desirable from the standpoint of the services that we set up the
Joint Military Advisory Group envisaged in SWNCC 83/1749 and approved
[Page 962] by the President on 26
February 1946. I am informed that a draft governmental agreement has
been produced after consultation with the Chinese and that it has been
concurred in by the War Department, and, I understand, by the Navy
Department.
At present the Army and Army Air Forces portions of the Joint Advisory
Group are operating under the war powers of the President, as are our
missions to Iraq, and I understand the Navy portion of the Chinese
Advisory Group. These war powers appear for the time being to be
adequate for the operation of such missions. The missions bill now
before Congress, if enacted into law, will provide permanent peacetime
authority for the operation of the joint group envisaged by SWNCC
83/17.
In light of the foregoing, I believe that we should now proceed with the
establishment of the joint mission already approved by the President. If
the State Department does not desire to implement at this time the
decision of the President concerning the joint mission but wishes to
await the action of the present Congress on the missions bill, I believe
we should continue the status quo until the
nature of Congressional action is determined.
Sincerely yours,
