793.94/2685: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 14—2 p.m.]
940. Following from Harbin:
“November 14, noon. 1. Ma has refused to comply with the terms of the ultimatum mentioned in my telegram of November 12, 5 p.m., on the grounds that he cannot unless he receives orders to do so from the Central Government at Nanking. He is striving to hold his position at least until November 16th, when he hopes that League of Nations will in some way aid him against Japanese-inspired attacks. Press reports that more airplanes are coming from Japan to Manchuria and [Page 446] Secretary Chao informed me that the Chinese fear that a large number of airplanes will be sent to the Nonni to conduct a bombing raid which will shatter Ma’s forces and make him quit before November 16th. Chao further confirmed press rumors that General Chang Hai-peng had personally withdrawn from the fray and was located at Taonanfu, and added that he was responsible (which I doubt very much) for securing Chang’s elimination as a Japanese candidate for the governorship at Tsitsihar during his negotiations with two of General Honjo’s local Japanese agents who are insisting upon the resignation of Ma.
2. Chinese and Japanese official sources state that there were no conflicts near the bridge and that quiet reigns at Tsitsihar city, and foreign reports [state?] that all was quiet at Hailar and Manchuria Station yesterday.
3. Frederic Kuhn of the United Press, who has just arrived at Harbin from Berlin via Siberia, informed me yesterday that he saw no evidence of any movements or concentration of troops in Siberia and received the impression that the Soviet officials would do nothing but protest against the violation of any Soviet rights on the Chinese Eastern Railway by the Japanese.
4. The situation at Harbin is quiet, although there is an increasing number of brigands in the near vicinity. The Japanese press is printing alarming reports that these brigands may at any time attack the city, but as long as General Ting Chao, in command of the Chinese Eastern Railway guard troops, which are paid by this railway, keeps a sufficient force here, there appears to be little danger of such an attack at present.”
Repeated to Nanking.