740.00116 P.W./5–2345: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Hurley)
805. U.S. Commissioner, War Crimes Commission, London,81 requests that you be informed that on May 22 Committee II of the Commission took under consideration a proposal that there be established a war crimes agency for the investigation of war crimes and the perpetuation of evidence inside Japanese territory. It was decided, upon the request of the Acting Chinese representative, Ambassador Wunsz King, to hold the question in abeyance for 2 weeks, and first through the Chinese Government to ask for the views of the Chungking sub-commission. The request for these views will be made not for the guidance of the governments but for that of the War Crimes Commission. It is the belief of the Committee referred to above, which is composed of representatives of most of the members of the Commission, that there is urgent need that such an agency be established and maintained. The Committee hopes that the question will be immediately submitted to and acted on by the sub-commission in Chungking. The Commission in London will probably act at the end of two weeks.
U. S. Commissioner requests that Department call your attention to Commission document C. 30 which is applicable only to Europe.
- Lieutenant Colonel Hodgson had succeeded Herbert C. Pell.↩