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    "localId": "205715993",
    "label": "Letter from Congressman Mike Mansfield to Matthew Connelly, with Attached Letter from Congressman Mansfield to Secretary of State James Byrnes",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Letter from Congressman Mike Mansfield to Matthew Connelly, with Attached Letter from Congressman Mansfield to Secretary of State James Byrnes",
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            "logicalDate": "1945-11-01",
            "month": 11,
            "year": 1945
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    "ocrText": "MIKE MANSFIELO\n1st DISTRICT\n.\nCongress of the United States\nChins\nHouse of Representatibes\nWashington, 7B. €.\nPersonal-Confidential\nNovember 29, 1945.\nHonorable Janes F. Byrnes,\nSecretary of State,\nState Department.\nDear Mr. Secretary:\nMay I take this means to express my sincerest satisfaction in the\nappointment of General George C. Marshall as Ambassador to China. No\nfiner choice could have been made for the tremendously difficult job\nwhich confronts our country in China at this time. He has, I am sure,\nthe tact, diplomacy and courage necessary to overcome the difficulties\nwhich he will face.\nThere is, however, one point which, I feel, should merit the atten-\ntion of you and President Truman. That is, the statement which appeared\nin the Washington Post on November 28 and reads as follows:\n\"Secretary Ross told reporters that General Marshall\nwould leave soon for Chungking and would retain his\nrank as a five-star general of the Army. He said that\nhe would go as Mr. Truman's personal envoy with the\nrank of Ambassador.\"\nI feel that the statement that General Marshall will retain his five-stars,\nas 8445 as Ambassador to China, should merit your most serious considera-\ntion in view of the troubled situation existing in China at the present\ntime and the use of our arned forces there. When General Patrick Hurley\nwas appointed Ambassador to China last November, he wanted to retain his\ntwo-star rank and wear his uniform, but President Roosevelt vetoed the\nidea and General Hurley became Ambassador on a civilian status only.\nI feel that it would be unwise to send General Marshall as our Ambassador\nto China with the rank of a five-star general. It would perhaps be mis-\nunderstood by various interested parties and it might create complications\nand would react against our country's foreign policy throughout the Orient.\nI am calling this to your attention to consider as you and President\nTruman see fit. I have not written directly to the President as I do not\nwant to burden him too much at this time. I do not want to burden you\neither, Mr. Secretary, but I feel the matter is so important that it should\n1"
}