123 Stuart, J. Leighton
Memorandum by the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Butterworth) to the Secretary of State
There are attached copies of two priority telegrams from Ambassador Stuart in Nanking (No. 1531 of July 15, Tab A, and No. 1546 [Page 793] of July 18, Tab B)23 which I believe you may want to show to the President as a matter of urgency in which he sets forth anew his recommendation that he be not instructed to visit Canton en route to the United States.
There is another aspect to this question—one which has not been mentioned by Ambassador Stuart and which he may not have consciously had in mind—which should be given consideration. That is the personal question of Ambassador Stuart’s future. Having been born in China and having spent over fifty years in that country, he will naturally want to return in a private capacity at some future date. It is seriously doubted, however, whether he would ever be permitted to return to a China dominated by the Communists if, having refused their invitation to visit Peiping, he were now to proceed to Canton.