893.00/12–748: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Consul General at Shanghai (Cabot)14
2152. Reurtel 2690 Dec 7. You should not participate in any action by consular body which would place this Govt or its representatives in role of guarantor or mediator in turn over of city to successor regime. You should avoid any participation in political action by consular body, such as assumption responsibility administration city. You may participate in any action based upon humanitarian non-political considerations with clear understanding your participation does not involve political commitments or involvement on your part or on part US Govt. Foregoing only general principles for your guidance since obviously impossible foretell what problems may arise in consular body.
Mr. Hoffman15 who is en route Shanghai can acquaint you with discussions here on problem future ECA operations.
With respect evacuation threatened Nationalists urtel 2637 Dec 3,16 see Deptel 1617 Nov 15 to Emb17 re granting asylum, which Emb instructed circularize consulates. General principles this tel applicable evacuation question. You should make clear to any Chinese who may inquire that US shipping facilities and places for concentration US nationals cannot be made available for Chinese nationals. However, as emergency measure under extraordinary circumstances and in your discretion, if Adm Badger or his representative concurs and space available, you may provide evacuation facilities those Chinese whose lives you have good reason believe would be seriously endangered in absence such assistance and whose bona fides such that assistance in evacuation would be in US interest.