895.01/3–145: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Atcheson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:46 p.m.]
329. On February 23, Mr. Tjo So-wang, “Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Korean Provisional Government” called at Embassy by appointment to enlist active support of US for his group and made long, rambling statement.
He said Korea was on verge of starvation, that hatred of Japanese rule was intensified by almost universal conscription and that time was ripe for action. He stated that as his government was strongest and best organized group representing Korean people it would be well for the US to deal solely and directly with his government. Specifically, he proposed the following type of cooperation between his government and the US: (1) Korean armies to be trained at a base on one of the Pacific islands and later somewhere along north China coast, (2) military supplies and financial assistance to be made available by US under some such arrangement as a lend-lease agreement with Provisional Government, (3) Korean agents to be utilized for intelligence purposes and (4) propaganda leaflets to be prepared by Provisional Government for distribution by American planes over Korea. He asked that Provisional Government be invited to send representatives, now available in the US, to United Nations Security Conference in San Francisco.18
He also said he wished personally to visit US in near future and asked that preliminary steps be taken to expedite issuance of a visa.
Embassy informed Mr. Tjo that substance of his conversation would be reported to Washington.
According to press statement Korean Provisional Government declared war on Germany February 28.
Please instruct by telegraph in regard to question of visa for Tjo. Despatch follows.19