123 [Ward, Angus I.]: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Tientsin (Smyth)
451. Re departure plans Mukden staff, Department has made no commitments re travel any specific vessel or line. In addition to physician, however, Lakeland Victory may carry pool of 3 correspondents if Master so desires. Irrespective these arrangements, Dept strongly recommends Ward and his staff depart on first available US vessel and that party not be broken up on separate vessels. Dept realizes limited accommodations may mean certain discomforts for staff members while en route Yokohama but of opinion overriding consideration is that staff depart China at earliest moment possible and, if at all feasible, in single group. US ships due Taku Bar this week include Joplin Victory, Pacific Transport, Lakeland Victory and China Mail.
In event time factor such that Dept cannot review summary Ward’s Mukden experiences (as first recommended Deptel 448, Dec 2) before Ward meets correspondents, pls give him fol instrs:
As ConGen in charge of Mukden staff, Ward shld act as official spokesman with correspondents. Dept desires give Ward wide discretion re material covered in conferences with press, but recommends he stick to facts and experiences omitting speculative, interpretive and analytical comment. Other members Mukden staff will undoubtedly be queried by correspondents, but while they shld refer all questions of official nature to Ward as spokesman, Dept no objection their discussing matters of personal nature of interest to papers in their home localities.