Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The Far East, Volume IV

893.0146/559

The Secretary of State to the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (Pittman)

Washington, August 17, 1937.

My Dear Senator Pittman: I acknowledge receipt of your letter of August 16,⁵⁵ transmitting to me for my consideration and comment Senate Resolution 170⁵⁶ relating to the holding of American troops now stationed in China at Tientsin and Peiping.

In view of the service which the marine guard at Peiping and the army force at Tientsin have rendered during the recent and current situation of emergency in North China, in protecting the lives of American nationals, together with and including our diplomatic and consular establishments, and making possible the maintenance of uninterrupted communications with our nationals and our establishments in the area involved, it seems to me almost axiomatic that the presence of those forces has been and is in the best interest of the United States.

Sincerely yours,

Cordell Hull

55. Not printed.
56. Introduced by Senator J. Hamilton Lewis, of Illinois (Democrat), on August 6, Congressional Record, vol. 81, pt. 7, p. 8351.