Your 322. [1] The Acting Minister [2] has considered position and
is inclined to the view that you should not leave Nanking in event
of Government evacuating. Such a step raises questions of future
policy such as attitude to any new regime in circumstances, in
which present government leaders may never return to position of
authority. Moreover question arises whether status and position of
those remaining in Nanking may not be seriously affected to the
point of personal danger if head of mission followed Government.

In circumstances present view is that you should remain on grounds
that if you cannot take whole mission you do not consider you can
follow government to wherever it may evacuate.