793.94/3710: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
Shanghai, January 29, 1932—7
p.m.
[Received 8:21 p.m.]
[Received 8:21 p.m.]
My telegram January 28, 6 p.m.76a In the light of later developments I wish to amplify that as follows:
At the commencement consular body meeting January 28th Japanese Consul General stated substantially as follows:
“I am sorry you have all been so concerned with the recent crisis but I am happy to say that I received at 3 o’clock this afternoon a satisfactory report from the Mayor. If what he said in that letter can be carried out the crisis will be over and a clash will be avoided. This morning I prepared a statement on the situation which I will now read.”
Following is text of statement:
- 1.
- The fact that within the past 5 months pernicious anti-Japanese excesses and outrages have been committed by a large number of Chinese people, especially in this part of the country, is a matter of common knowledge. Under the guise of patriotic movement they have conducted assiduous campaign of unlawful boycott and confiscation of the goods of Japanese origin which were legally manufactured here or imported from Japan under treaty provisions and in reliance on China’s integrity. They have lynched [sic] the innocent dealers in Japanese goods with detention, imprisonment, and all conceivable methods of punishment, in utter defiance even of the minimum requirements of friendly intercourse and trade. The terrorism among the masses is now even intimidating the judiciary to pursue a questionable course.
- 2.
- Nor do I need to dwell upon the wholly [sic] insecurity of Japanese life and property in this vicinity. Unpleasant and unfortunate incidents are too many to enumerate. And no few Japanese have already been involuntarily compelled to offer supreme sacrifices at the altar of lawlessness.
- 3.
- I have repeatedly and urgently requested of the Chinese authorities concerned to control these illegal and criminal activities of their own people. While ostensibly admitting the lawlessness of these acts, not once have they seriously and sincerely endeavored to curb them. The evidence, if any, tends to prove that the contrary is the case.
- 4.
- As a consequence within the last few days there was a case of the Min Kuo Jih Pao where a most disrespectful and abusive article referred to His Imperial Majesty of Japan which decidedly aggravated the feeling of the Japanese people. On the heels of it there took place on January 18th a murderous outrage upon the defenseless Japanese monks. Even since my last note to the Mayor, there was an incendiary fire on January 24th, at the local residence of the Japanese Minister [Page 103] and just this morning a bomb was thrown at the Japanese Consulate General where also the Shanghai office[s] of the Japanese Minister are situated. In both cases it has been ascertained beyond reasonable doubt that they were perpetrated by the so-called “death defying corps”. I need not explain just how the Japanese residents are agitated and concerned with the sense of extreme insecurity. Their patience has been tested to the limit.
- [5.]
- In order to forestall any further repetition of those
unfortunate cases, right after the incident in which five
Japanese monks were fatally assaulted, I addressed a note on
January 20th to the Mayor of the Municipality of Greater
Shanghai containing the following four points:
- (1)
- The Mayor’s apology to the Japanese Consul General.
- (2)
- The arrest and punishment without delay of the culprits.
- (3)
- The indemnification for the medical care and solatiums to the five Japanese concerned.
- (4)
- The immediate suppression of anti-Japanese and Japan-insulting manifestations and activities, especially the dissolution of all anti-Japanese national salvation committees and other kindred anti-Japanese organizations.
- [6.]
- As you can well surmise, we attach the greatest importance to the fourth point, for there lies the root of all local anti-Japanese troubles. I have afforded the Mayor ample time for his thorough deliberations. I am expecting the Mayor’s reply at almost any moment. But should no satisfactory one be received by 6 o’clock this evening I am constrained to say and most reluctantly that we may be obliged to take such measures of self-protection as will ensure the safety of Japanese life and property. Needless to say that whatever action we may take we propose to respect the integrity of the International Settlement and to take all possible measures to safeguard the life and property of the inhabitants thereof.
Repeated to the Legation.
Cunningham