893.00/11136: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 28—6:50 a.m.]
758. My 757, August 27, 1 p.m.
1. The following is a translation of a telegram of August 27th sent by the Chief of Yen Hsi-shan’s Diplomatic Bureau here to the Senior Minister now at Peitaiho:
“This morning at 10 o’clock two Nanking airplanes, presumably coming from Tsinanfu, dropped 11 bombs, several of which fell near the Tung Szu-Pai [Lou] on Monday88 and destroyed two houses, the others falling front of the former Ministry of the Navy and at the Chung Hai.89 Since the City of Peiping is not important from a strategic point of view and has numerous inhabitants including a large foreign colony, I request that you be so good as to communicate with your colleagues and address a protest to Nanking immediately in order that, in the interest of humanity, such an incident may not recur. The whole population of Peiping would be grateful to you.”
2. I have as yet received no word in the matter from the Senior Minister. It is probable that my colleagues will feel that a protest would serve no useful purpose. I propose neither to acknowledge nor to make any protest.