393.115/10–2049: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (McConaughy)
2135. Fol tel sent Isbrandtsen Co, NY, Oct 14 quoted ur info:
“Reference is made to your several recent calls to the Dept and to your tels October 10 and 12,85 in the latter of which you ask certain questions concerning the measures which this Govt is prepared to take in the event that the vessel Flying Trader of the Isbrandtsen Co. encounters interference in its outward voyage from Shanghai. It is now understood that the Flying Trader intends to depart on October 15.
As previously announced, and as you have been repeatedly informed, it is not the policy of this Govt to convoy Amer merchant vessels in order that they may continue to trade with Chinese ports which are included in the Chinese Natl Govt’s closure order. Any decision by the Brit Govt in respect to convoying Brit merchant vessels engaged in trade in this area is, of course, one for that Govt to make. For your info the Dept has received no corroborative information that Brit merchant vessels are in fact being convoyed. I shld like to make it clear, however, that any such action on the part of the Brit Govt wld in no way obligate this Govt to do likewise.
Further, as previously announced and as you have been informed on a number of occasions, any decision regarding the operations of Amer flag vessels into ports controlled by the Chinese Communists is properly one for the shipping cos, operators and the masters themselves to make in the light of the circumstances.
The statement which you attribute to the Under Sec of State in his press conference of October 5 is grossly inaccurate. When asked ‘If the Chinese National Government fired on one of our ships that was trying to run the blockade, could there be an incident there, or would we shrug our shoulders?’, the Under Sec replied that he wld not want to predict what our course of action wld be; that it wld be a very serious matter as wld the air bombardment of any ship carrying Amer natls. In this connection, as you have been advised also, shld such a situation arise the Dept will take whatever action it may deem appropriate.”
Reurtel 4294, Oct 12, request you exercise utmost caution against encouraging, inadvertently or otherwise, shipping line agents and shippers re Amer shipping Shanghai.
Sent to Chungking 732, Seoul 889, and to Shanghai unnumbered.
- Neither printed.↩