Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1931, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/2617: Telegram

The Consul General at Tientsin (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

Tientsin, November 11, 1931—10 p.m.
[Received November 11—3:16 p.m.]

I have reported by telegram to the Legation at 6 p.m. today as follows:

Referring to Legation’s telegram of November 10, 10 a.m.,⁴ and my telegrams of November 9, 9 a.m.,⁵ November 9, 3 p.m.,⁶ and November 10, 11 a.m.,⁷ to Legation. These appear to answer in part at least the Department’s inquiries as to how the trouble here began. I am informed by a reliable American that he saw plain-clothes men with white bands on their sleeves congregating in considerable numbers in the vicinity of the Chung Yuen department store, Japanese Concession, at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday (November 8) when some firing occurred outside the concession. The American left the scene but went back about half an hour afterward when more intensive firing was going on between plain-clothes men and Chinese police immediately outside of the concession. There is one other foreign eyewitness at least who saw plain-clothes men wearing white arm bands Sunday night in the Jananese Concession. It had been reported by the Chinese through one of their men who was paid $100 to join the plotters and to ascertain their plans that the plain-clothes men were to start trouble the night of November 7 or 8. It appears unreasonable to suppose that with their intelligence service the Japanese could be ignorant of a movement of this sort involving approximately 1,000 persons. If these facts are added to those already reported, it is believed reasonably certain that the trouble was begun by men who had assembled in the Japanese Concession, though it is not definitely established whether this was with the knowledge and acquiescence of the Japanese authorities.

While the need for the 300-meter zone is not evident, its establishment does appear to have prevented more clashes between Chinese police and Japanese soldiers. However, it makes it impossible for the Chinese police to locate the plain-clothes men hiding in the zone.

Beginning this afternoon, British and French troops are on guard along the boundaries of their concessions. Guard duty will be done also by squads from the U. S. Fifteenth Infantry in its Defense Area, cooperating with the Chinese police of the First Special Area.

I am in frequent consultation with Colonel Taylor who concurs in this telegram.

Lockhart

4. Not found in Department files.
5. See telegram No. 893, November 9, 3 p.m., from the Minister in China, p. 401.
6. See telegram of November 9, 4 p.m., from the Consul General at Tientsin, p. 402.
7. See telegram of November 10, 3 p.m., from the Consul General at Tientsin, p. 417.