793.94/2255: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 21—10:17 a.m.]
Continuing my October 13, 9 a.m.3 regarding preservation of order in the International Settlement and the display by Japanese of military force, I submit the following:
Conditions continue tense but while potentially they are not improved, actually greater confidence is felt in ability of Shanghai Municipal Council to maintain order. Sunday the 18th was noteworthy because of numerous attacks on Japanese by unruly students and mobs particularly in Japanese mill district in vicinity of Ferry Road. One attack on Naigai Wata Kaisha mill quarters where Japanese [Page 282] marines were on guard narrowly missed being a most serious incident. The Japanese Consul General on the following day filed a very strong protest with the Shanghai Municipal Council for its failure to preserve order in that district, claiming that no serious disturbance would have occurred if street meetings by Chinese students and laborers had been suppressed by International Settlement police. The Shanghai Municipal authorities replied that if the Japanese marines had not been in evidence the mob would not have attacked the mill premises. There is some foundation for each statement. As a result of this verbal protest of the Japanese Consul General it was arranged that there should be a conference on the 20th of the Chairman of the Municipal Council, the Director General, and the Commissioner of Police on behalf of Shanghai Municipal Council and Japanese Consul General, representative of commander of Japanese marines and two Japanese members of the Municipal Council to endeavor to find a reasonable solution of the present problem which offers so many difficulties in the preservation of peace. As a result of this prolonged conference it was agreed that no drastic action by Japanese within International Settlement would be undertaken without consultation with International Settlement police authorities. This if lived up to is important move toward maintenance of peace during this tense period. It was emphasized by municipal authorities that they were responsible first and primarily for maintenance of order, and, as in the past, when they consider they are inadequate to meet the emergency they will so notify all the powers through the Senior Consul.
- 2.
- As indicating impotence of Municipal authorities it may be mentioned that on Sunday two Japanese took refuge in a shop and a mob stormed the shop, destroyed the glass, and the leaders were arrested by police and prosecuted in Shanghai District Court and found guilty, being fined insignificant sum of $3 for destroying the front of the shop. This is mentioned to show handicap under which Municipal Police are placed as compared with all previous occasions when Court was administered for protection of Settlement rather than promulgation of alleged patriotic efforts.
- 3.
- The Director General who reported orally concerning the Municipal and Japanese Conference stated that he did not desire any action taken at present time by the Senior Consul; that he would keep Senior Consul well informed in regard to all happenings but as yet no action Was requested; in event it was desired that communication of decision reached at conference be conveyed to members of consular body he would notify Senior Consul. He stated, however, that the British Consul General as well as the American Consul General would be kept well informed.
Repeated to the Legation.
- Not printed.↩