793.94/1919: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Neville)
177. Your 166, September 29, 7 p.m. It gratifies me that the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs appreciated so quickly my need of information directly from Manchuria and that he consented immediately to give Salisbury and Hanson permission to make the trip. You may, as suggested in your telegram, give Salisbury the emergency expense money of $500 to be accounted for later.
The Department wishes Hanson and Salisbury to visit the various Manchurian points where fighting has occurred or where Japanese forces have gone beyond a point allowed them under treaty, such as Kirin. It is desired that they express their best judgment on the justification for such troop movements, on the scope and extent thereof and the reasons alleged. It is claimed by the Japanese that occupation of these places is purely temporary and that as soon as the danger to Japanese lives and property passes the troops will be withdrawn. This should be checked on the spot and any obtainable evidence should be reported as to whether Japanese troops have been withdrawn or when their withdrawal is planned. The Department wishes to know what form of civil administration, if any, the Japanese have set up in places other than Mukden and, if anything has been done of this sort, whether the Chinese civil administration is being interfered [Page 92] with unduly by the Japanese military. Regarding Mukden, it should be reported how far the international and the native parts of the city are held by the Japanese; whether civil administration at present can act with any independence and to what extent it has been restored. The Mukden radio station put up by the R.C.A. is reported to have been destroyed.
The Department desires either confirmation or denial of this, and if there was only partial destruction, a statement is desired as to whether the radio station is being put back into operation. Information is desired on the Chinese attitude toward the Japanese, whether it be such as to make the withdrawal of Japanese forces difficult without incurring the danger of banditry or reprisal, with resultant loss of Japanese life and property. The report has been received here that the Chinese who actually reside in Manchuria were not unfriendly to occupation by the Japanese. If senseless acts, such as the bombing of trains, have taken place, as reported in the press, the Department would like to know if irresponsible troops were to blame and if the deserved punishment has been administered by the military authorities. It is assumed that both Hanson and Salisbury already understand Japanese rights in Manchuria. With these rights kept in mind, they should be able to report how far Japanese rights have been extended illegally, whether such extension was justifiable and if a desire appears to exist to restore the status quo ante.
When full information has been obtained on these various points, it should be cabled without delay, and both Salisbury and Hanson, after their inspection, should write full reports to the Department on the facts and the deductions to be drawn, in their opinion, from these facts. All this should be explained by Salisbury to Hanson when they meet. The Department wishes to receive very promptly as accurate a picture of the Manchurian situation as can be cabled and subsequently a carefully considered estimate of it.