811.42793/1486a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
23. As opportunity offers please orally invite the attention of the cultural relations experts to the fact that the attitude of important individuals as well as of the public toward the Department of State and its activities may be adversely affected if the experts are reported as making either oral or written comments in disparagement of Chinese persons, institutions, or even of general conditions in China. The Department desires to receive the benefit of their comments but during the continuance of their official status unfavorably critical evaluations of this sort should be made initially only to officials of the Embassy or the Department of State. The Department will give their comments such confidential distribution to other interested agencies as may be appropriate in each case. It is hoped also that cultural relations experts will refrain from writing articles or giving interviews about Chinese affairs until they have consulted the Department after their return to the United States.
Repeat to Kunming.