893.00/9911: Telegram
The Minister in China (MacMurray) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:40 p.m.]
296. Your telegram No. 139, April 30, 7 p.m., received this morning. Following was sent yesterday afternoon to consul at Tsinanfu:
“May 1, 3 p.m. Whereas I feel that during the present campaign there is no reason to anticipate such organized or authorized attacks upon foreigners as characterized last year’s campaign, I nevertheless apprehend the possibility of sudden acts of outrage by irresponsible individuals or groups such as the Seymour murder seems to exemplify. I consider that it is not in accordance with the general feeling of our Government that the consular staff should be exposed to undue risks of this sort. The degree of risk involved is so far a matter of local appreciation that it must be left to your judgment to determine whether under the particular circumstances existing you should close the consulate and proceed either to Tientsin or to Tsingtau, taking with you the code and seal and confidential archives.”