893.50 Recovery/9–3049
Dr. Kan Chieh-hou, Personal Representative of the Acting President of China (Li), to President Truman
My Dear Mr. President: It is with gratification that I have learned of your signing of the bill providing for assistance to European and Asiatic countries,60 which was recently passed by the United States Congress and which includes the (appropriation of $75,000,000, proposed by Mr. Tom Connally, for aid to China. On behalf of the Acting President of the Republic of China, I wish to extend to you my warm thanks for this renewed expression of friendship for my country, which, I am sure, will go a long way toward bolstering the morale of both our civilian population and armed forces.
In my talks with officials of the Departments of State and National Defence, I have invariably stressed the necessity for careful supervision over the use made of whatever assistance may be forthcoming from your Government and I have clearly indicated that the Chinese Government would have no objection to this supervision being left in the hands of the United States Government. I believe that the provision for the expenditure of the new appropriation at your discretion will accrue to the common interest of our two countries.
In view of the critical military situation in China at the moment, of which Your Excellency is doubtless fully aware, I should be remiss in my duty if I did not ask for the immediate expenditure of the funds which have just been placed at your disposal. In the opinion of the Chinese Government, these funds should be made available partly [Page 722] for the purchase of silver and partly for the procurement of light arms and ammunition.
As I have acquainted both Mr. Dean Rusk and Mr. Butterworth61 of the Department of State with all the details of how best to utilize the new appropriation, I shall refrain from burdening you with the same.62
With highest esteem [etc.]
- The bill was signed October 6.↩
- Mr. Butterworth was designated Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs on September 29.↩
- Dr. Kan transmitted copies of this letter to the Secretary of State and to Assistant Secretary of State Butterworth, asking their support for his request to President Truman. In their replies on October 17, the Secretary and Mr. Butterworth informed Dr. Kan that appropriate agencies of the Government were studying how to make the best use of the funds available.↩