793.94/4007: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 6—10:58 a.m.]
I have just received the following two notes from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, both dated February 5th:66
“Sir: I have the honor to state that the Shanghai Municipal Government submitted a telegraphic report on February 3, 1932, that the Japanese forces were still utilizing the International Settlement as a base of operations in attacks against the Chinese forces; that every day Japanese armed forces were passing through the International Settlement into the western part of Shanghai and other places, thereby increasing the anxiety of Chinese forces; and that a protest had already been filed with the Municipal Council of the International Settlement.
I have the honor to recall that this Ministry on January 31, 1932, addressed a formal note to you in reference to the act of the International Settlement in allowing the Japanese forces liberty to utilize Settlement area as a base for military operations, in which the Ministry requested that immediate telegraphic instructions be sent to the American Consul at Shanghai and to the officer in command of the American forces there not to further permit the Japanese forces to use the territory of the International Settlement as a base from which to launch attacks on Chinese-controlled areas. But, according to the report of the 3rd instant, already referred to, the authorities of the International Settlement are still permitting Japanese armed troops to pass through the International Settlement to the western part of Shanghai and other places, thus adding to the anxieties of the Chinese forces. This is extremely improper. I therefore have the honor, Mr. Minister, again to request that you speedily take strict action in accordance with my formal note of January 31, 1932, and favor me with a reply. Lo Wen-kan.”
[Page 232]“Sir: I have the honor to recall that this Ministry addressed you formal notes on January 31, 1932, and February 5, 1932, in reference to the action of the International Settlement in Shanghai in allowing Japan to utilize the Settlement at will as a base of military operations, in which notes it was requested that an immediate end be put to this state of affairs.
I have the honor to observe that China has been very adversely affected by the action of the International Settlement in permitting Japanese forces to utilize the Settlement as a base of military operations. I now have the honor again to solemnly request that you immediately telegraph to the American Consul at Shanghai and the officer in command of the American forces there that the International Settlement must not be used to protect the Japanese forces and that the Japanese forces must be strictly prevented from utilizing the Settlement as a base for launching attacks on the Chinese forces; otherwise China will not assume responsibility if through these causes the International Settlement becomes involved in any trouble. I have the honor to bring these facts to your attention and to request that you take speedy action and favor me with a reply. Lo Wen-kan”
I desire to invite the Department’s most serious attention to the notes above quoted and to state most emphatically my hope that the Department will see the serious situation into which the Japanese have put the International Settlement at Shanghai by their deliberate abuse of their responsibility under a scheme originally drawn up for the purpose of ensuring the protection of the International Settlement from outside attack. It behooves the American and British Governments to leave no effort untried to persuade the Japanese to leave the area of the Settlement lest all nationalities become involved in the chaos the Japanese have created there.
- The somewhat garbled texts of the notes as telegraphed have here been replaced by the texts later forwarded by the Minister in his despatch No. 1405, February 15, 1932; received March 12 (793.94/4729).↩