811.3393/12–2747
Memorandum of a Telephone Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs (Bingwalt)
In reply to my inquiry, Admiral Wooldridge1 informed me that his office had received no further information in regard to the four Marine enlisted men reported to have been seized by Communists north of Tsingtao on December 25 (Tsingtao’s telegram no. 138 of December 27, 1947).
I said that we had been increasingly concerned over the fluid state of hostilities in China and expressed the opinion that, because of evidences of increasing Communist efforts to arouse anti-American feeling, it was likely that members of the United States armed forces captured by the Communists would fare less well than had previously been the case. I suggested that he might wish to recommend to Admiral Murray2 at Tsingtao that steps be taken to reduce the occurrence of incidents such as those referred to in the reference telegram.
[Page 347]Admiral Wooldridge replied that whereas he would hesitate to issue any instructions to Admiral Murray in regard to matters pertaining to local discipline, he felt that a word of caution would not be out of place and would take action to that effect.