202. Telegram From the Acting Secretary of State to the Consulate General at Hong Kong1
514. Department has been under heavy pressure from American publishers and press associations to acquiesce in visits to Communist China of their correspondents who have been offered visas. Acting Secretary and senior officials Department met 17th with Starzel2 of AP following indications AP proposed to despatch Roderick3 to Communist China in contravention US policy. Starzel unsympathetic US position but reluctantly agreed refrain from sending Roderick if policy expressed Department’s press release August 74 were specifically and publicly approved by the President. He recognized that no employer of American correspondents likely defy explicitly expressed position of President on this matter.
President afternoon August 18 approved following statement which was issued as Departmental press release5 at noon today:
“The Acting Secretary of State today stated that the President has authorized the Department to make clear the President’s full concurrence in the policy statement issued by the State Department on August 7, 1956 regarding travel to Communist China”.
You are authorized to give this notice such local publicity among American correspondents and other Americans who may possibly be contemplating travel Communist China as you deem appropriate.
Department wishes use suasion based on obligations of citizenship rather than threats and warnings to deter travel. Any travel by Americans at this time would jeopardize conduct of foreign relations and would work against the national interests of the U.S. by (a) militating against our negotiations to bring about release American citizens held as political hostages in Communist China and (b) tending to defeat our efforts and pressures to penalize Chinese Communists for refusal to adhere to generally accepted international standards. This should be conveyed by you to any citizens who seriously contemplate travel to Communist China.
[Page 422]FYI Department does not at this time intend use threat of court action against prospective violators. If suasion ineffective, sole immediate sanction contemplated is limitation passports of violators to make them valid solely for direct return to U.S. Department might also inform prospective violators that:
- 1.
- Inasmuch as unauthorized travel to Communist China would interfere with the conduct of foreign relations of U.S., such action would of course have to be taken into consideration by Department in connection with any future application for passport facilities.
- 2.
- Any unlicensed financial transactions by American citizens with Communist China, including purchase of any goods or services while in Communist China, constitute violation of Foreign Assets Control Regulations of Treasury Department, issued pursuant to Trading with the Enemy Act.
- 3.
- Individuals cannot escape personal obligations as American citizens by pleading instructions from employer.
Note that you are not authorized initially to use any of warnings and admonitions contained in this FYI section. End FYI.
Inform Department priority if travel of any American seems imminent so that you may be appropriately instructed.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 911.6293/8–2056. Secret; Priority. Drafted by McConaughy, approved by Murphy, cleared by Sebald and Robertson in FE, and by Deputy Assistant Secretary E. Allan Lightner in P. Also sent to Seoul, Moscow, Taipei, and Tokyo with instructions to pass to CINCFE for information. Repeated for information to Geneva for Ambassador Johnson.↩
- Frank Starzel, General Manager of the Associated Press. A memorandum by Lightner of the conversation on August 17 among Hoover, Starzel, and other representatives of the Department and Associated Press is ibid., 911.6293/8–1756.↩
- John Roderick, Associated Press representative in Hong Kong.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 200.↩
- Department of State Bulletin, September 3, 1956, p. 376.↩