Office of the Historian

293.1111/3–2852: Telegram

No. 15
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom1

confidential
priority
Washington, April 5, 1952—12:30 p.m.

4997. 1. Embtel 4317 Mar 27 [28] rptd Hong Kong 91 New Delhi unn.2 Dept concurs proposal of concerted and mainly unofficial publicity along lines mentioned. Even though this program at outset wld have private character, Dept believes that wld be desirable notify govts of countries assisting us in Peiping that it planned give wide and persistent publicity situation Amers. Emb may wish give Dept its views re timing such notification.

2. Dept concurs Emb views para 2 reftel,3 but suggest in addition proposed Brit note to Chi Commies also mention death Wallace [Page 29] at Wuchow while in jail and death Cline at Tsingtao soon after release from jail.

3. Re Embtel 4301 Mar 28 rptd Hong Kong 88 New Delhi unn. Dept views favorably suggestion that prominent Amer might address open letter to Madame Sun Yat-sen along lines mentioned. Subj expected to be taken up with Mrs. Roosevelt when she comes to Wash Apr 10. We agree contemplated appeal wld carry more force by inclusion selected cases maltreatment Brit and other fon natls.

4. Re statements by labor unions, para I (d) ur 4301, responsive action US unions probable, but not thru appeal to All-China Fed Labor.

5. Dept has been consulting accessible relatives detained Amers re unofficial publicity on individual cases, to be timed to follow general airing of subject by Commonwealth countries and US. Some concurrence this proposed action already obtained.

6. Re final paras Embtels 4161 Mar 20 and 4325 Mar 29,4 Dept wld not wish await, except for briefest period, Brit action on business interests before initiating planned program.

7. Re para I (a) ur 4301 Dept desires cases under house arrest also be included. Most recent arrests shld be added by Lamb.5

Acheson
  1. Repeated to New Delhi and Hong Kong.↩
  2. Telegram 4317 reported that, at a meeting that afternoon of British, Canadian, Australian, and U.S. representatives, there had been general agreement with the approach to the Chinese Government proposed by Lamb. (293.1111/3–2752)↩
  3. Paragraph 2 reported that the U.S. representative at the meeting that afternoon had suggested that Lamb’s draft note might be “toughened” somewhat and reference might be made to the length of detention of many individuals.↩
  4. Neither printed.↩
  5. On Apr. 21, Lamb delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Peking a note, with an attached list of 55 British, Canadian, Australian, and U.S. nationals reportedly under arrest and 20 U.S. nationals reportedly under house arrest. The note requested information as to the grounds on which the listed persons had been arrested, the nature of the charges against them, the sentences if any which had been passed on them, and their whereabouts and welfare. It also requested facilities to enable Lamb to communicate with them. A copy of the note was sent to the Department of State under cover of despatch 5044 from London, Apr. 28, 1952. (293.1111/42852)↩