793.94/8936: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 4—9:07 a.m.]
My telegram of February 3, 9 p.m., transmitting letter from Chairman [of] Municipal Council. Consuls representing extraterritorial [Page 206] countries except Japanese met this morning to consider letter. There were efforts on the part of representatives of several of the smaller powers to present a protest but subsequently following letter was unanimously approved and despatched today to Japanese Consul General:
“I have the honor to transmit from the Chairman of the Municipal Council a letter dated February 3rd, 1932, in which the Council gives its strongest support to the Defense Committee’s protest which was received by you 2 days ago from certain consular officers. In addition to this the Municipal Council directs attention to the exceedingly grave situation which has arisen through the activities of Japanese armed forces and armed civilians in the northern and eastern areas of the Settlement, where their actions have resulted in the disruption of the public services and infused terror amongst the inhabitants. The Council requests that representations be made to the Japanese authorities urging upon them the necessity of desisting from interfering with the Council’s functions and of assisting in every way possible in the restoration of the functions of the Council’s police and volunteer corps.
My interested colleagues desire to support the representations of the Council and to express the hope that you will make such representations to the proper Japanese authorities as are necessary to restore the municipal functions to the duly accredited municipal officials. It is not our understanding that a landing force is in any sense to interfere with the police and police watchmen but rather to strengthen them in their existing positions, and to give such protection to the recognized municipal officials as will enable them to function efficiently and effectively during the state of emergency. (Signed) Edwin S. Cunningham, American Consul General and Senior Consul.”
Repeated to the Legation, Nanking and Tokyo for information.