893.44 Chiang Kai-shek/14b: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)21
147. Please convey in writing to the Generalissimo a message from the President, in paraphrase of the following:
“Dear General Chiang: It is gratifying to me to receive directly from you any and all messages which you feel moved to send me, and I hope that you will feel free at all times to address me on any subject. In regard to channels of communication, I hope that you will not take amiss a suggestion on my part. Messages which you have sent me recently have come via several different channels. Due to occasional absence from Washington of persons to whom you address messages for communication to me, and to my own occasional absence from Washington, and to the extraordinary preoccupation [Page 678] of some of your addressees with current emergency matters here, there have been and there are likely to be, when miscellaneous channels are used, delays in delivery to me of your messages. In this country the established channel and agency for handling correspondence with officials and governments of other countries is the Department of State and the Foreign Service which functions under it. That organization is best prepared to handle, coordinate, transmit, receive and deliver correspondence such as may pass between you and me. I therefore would suggest that when you have a message for me you send it either through this country’s Embassy at your capital or through your Embassy here, for communication to the Secretary of State and delivery by him to me. That procedure, if agreeable to you and if followed would tend to insure maximum of secrecy, of prompt delivery, of appropriate coordination and of expeditious action. With cordial regards, I am yours sincerely, Franklin D. Roosevelt.”
- Notation by President Roosevelt on original draft of telegram as transmitted by Mr. Welles in his letter of July 15: “S. W. OK as changed. F. D. R.”↩