893.5045/56: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 31—10:34 a.m.]
Yesterday students from local schools and strikers from Japanese mills began organizing tour of speech making and parade in International Settlement protesting against killing of Chinese laborers in Japanese mill, prosecution of strikers in the Mixed Court and contemplated measures of rate payers regarding press regulations and wharfage dues. The police ordered discontinuance which was ignored, whereupon several leaders were arrested and taken to Louza police station on Nanking Road. Soon the students became a threatening mob assaulting 2 foreign police constables, completely held up traffic on Nanking Road and finally attempted to force an entrance to Louza police station threatening the lives of foreigners. The order was given to fire and 3 were killed, 6 others succumbed last night and probably some 20 others wounded. The police are considered to have acted in the only possible way consistent with the situation. The mob distributed violent circulars of Bolshevik character proclaiming that present conditions were due to imperialism of Great Britain, United States, France and Japan, the anti-Japanese circulars being strongest in language and most numerous. Reserve police called out yesterday and certain volunteer organizations ordered to stand by.
Some indications that there will be a general strike soon, probably tomorrow.