893.00/8–1648: Airgram
The Consul General at Shanghai ( Cabot ) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 24—2:54 p. m.]
A–755. Recent reports reaching this Consulate General indicate that the Communists in the North may be taking a less intransigent attitude toward missionaries. Missionary sources say that several of their number were recently given safe conduct passes by the Communists who had occupied territory where they were located. They were permitted to return freely to Nationalist territory.
Another missionary source recently reported to the Assistant U.S. Navy Attaché here that orders have been issued by the Communist High Command that foreign nationals found in newly occupied territory should not be molested and that if they are engaged in hospital, educational or religious endeavors they should be protected and encouraged to continue.
Information reaching the Assistant U.S. Military Attaché here is to the effect that Americans in Yenchow, when that city fell to the Communists,52 were not molested and that the Communist General Feng issued passes to them without question stating that there had been a change in policy whereby freedom of religion would be allowed.
- February 26, 1948.↩