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Memorandum by the Adviser on Political Relations (Hornbeck)

Reference, Chungking’s No. 23, January 10, 11 a.m.

In the course of a conversation with Mr. Welles (Mr. Hornbeck [Page 643] being present) on January 9, Mr. K. P. Chen,80 having stated that he had recently participated in the concluding of a contract at Detroit whereby the Chinese Government was purchasing one thousand trucks from General Motors and the Chrysler Company, Mr. Chen said that two automotive engineers had been engaged, in connection with the contract to go to Rangoon, to participate in the assembling, etc., essential to the delivery and putting on the road of the trucks.

Today, in reply to a question by Mr. Hornbeck, Mr. Chen added that these two engineers are being retained for at least nine months and are to participate in the maintenance of the service of the trucks.

Stanley K. Hornbeck
  1. Adviser to the Chinese Ministry of Finance.