811.42793/9–144: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)
1216. Department believes best course with respect to American visiting professors is for Embassy to arrange with approximately 6 Chinese universities to receive 1 or more professors in fields stated your 1481, September 1, 8 a.m. Department would not wish to send professors without prior arrangements and certainty of welcome.
[Page 1152]Solution to problem of whether negotiations should be carried on direct with universities or through Chinese Ministry of Education is presented by the action of the Chinese Ambassador during the current week in offering direct to Columbia, Harvard, California, Yale, Chicago, and Michigan Universities 5 fellowships each for American students to study Chinese culture and related subjects. Unless you perceive objection, suggest you orally inform Ministry of Education that Department has learned with gratification of this generous offer and has instructed you to extend offer of American visiting professors direct to 6 selected Chinese universities. Thereafter you may proceed immediately with arrangements with the universities.
Department would provide professors with salary and per diem, but if the Embassy approves it should be understood that host institutions would provide board and lodging. Itinerary of librarian will be proposed in subsequent telegram.
Referring to Embassy’s suggestions concerning sequence of arrivals, Department’s experience indicates necessity of obtaining services when available, and Department therefore proposes to meet requests as promptly as possible, leaving to Embassy arrangement of individual itineraries to effect desired result.
Redfield now awaiting transportation to China under auspices University of Chicago and Social Science Research Council. Rockefeller Foundation meeting expenses of project but hopes fact will not be publicized. Department assisting in obtaining transportation and will furnish Redfield letter of introduction to Embassy.