893.5045/81: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 10—7:39 a.m.]
Summarizing events since my June 3, 5 p.m.
American mission schools continue open although most classes are suspended allowing students freedom of coming and going at will. There is an exception in St. John’s University which closed on the 2nd because students were agitators. The action of St. John’s is commendable.
Shanghai University, not connected with any mission school, a purely Bolshevik institution recently organized, was closed by the police on June 4th.
June 6th, Chinese advisory committee of the Shanghai Municipal Council tendered resignations “in view of the tragic and cruel affair of last Saturday and of added casualties of these few days, and in view of the absence of any desire on the part of the Shanghai Municipal Council to punish the culprits and to do justice to the Chinese.”
[Page 662]Also on June 6th, consular body in replying to Commissioner of Foreign Affairs stated, “There will also as a matter of course be an investigation by the authorities concerned into the action of the police officer in question, besides which the competent courts stand ready to deal with any complaints.”
June 7th, Chinese general Chamber of Commerce issued instructions that the situation be maintained while the high commissioners were investigating, which has had an excellent effect. The high-water mark of danger was reached on the 3rd and 4th. Since then ostensibly conditions have inclined to improve in every way except in regard to the strike. Strike is becoming more deep seated and extended, some workers returning, others going out. Shops have remained closed and also native banks. On the 5th shops were closed in the French Concession and reopened on the 7th.
Naval landing party on the 6th consisted of 335 American, 300 French, 45 Japanese, 60 British and [Italian] 110. These are doing police work and replacing strikers in public utilities such as water and light. It would be extremely hazardous for the force to be reduced materially until the conclusion of the Mixed Court trial.
The question of the reduction of the force is being considered this afternoon by the municipal and consular authorities. There are only 15 percent of the Chinese police of the Settlement on strike and 15 percent of the volunteers have been demobilized.
The police on June 8th discovered 18 different new handbills all containing antiforeign sentiment. Protestations of organizations have been particularly bitter against British and Japanese as have been the handbills. Other organizations insist that the move is not antiforeign but is a protest against the police action and is directed against British and Japanese. …