Morning, in the office. Talked with Yang Hsi-kun 【楊西崑]. He said Shen 【沈昌煥] had received a cable from C. 【蔣中正], in which C. urged Shen to co-operate with me since I was mature and loyal, but not with George 【葉公超], for loose talk and immature judgment. For these reasons, C. has told George not to return to Washington for the time being.
This alarms me. George has worked hard and well and won many friends. I said this to Shen a week ago when Shen hinted at C.’s displeasure with George. It is possible that George has been indiscreet in his talks, but what particular statements are objectionable, neither Yang nor Shen ever told me. Now, if George should not return, it would be a fresh source of misunderstanding between China and the U.S.A. It would be better to let George return and then recall him half a year or one year later.