793.94/4289: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:43 p.m.]
73. Consular body at meeting February 17, decided to send letters in following sense mutatis mutandis to Japanese Consul General and Mayor of Shanghai municipality.
“In view of the immense importance of the port of Shanghai in world commerce I have the honor to state that it is the earnest desire [Page 381] of my interested colleagues and myself to take all steps possible to maintain the trade and shipping of our respective countries during the present critical time. With this end in view we trust that the responsible Japanese authorities will without qualification undertake not to interfere either now or in the future with the [trade?] and shipping of the various countries of Europe and America at this port and that you will see fit to make a declaration in this sense.
A similar communication is being addressed to the Chinese authorities concerned and the favor of a prompt reply is requested.”
Letters will probably be sent this evening.
In proposing foregoing action to consular body I had in mind compliance with paragraph three B [sic] of Department’s February 6, 8 p.m.61
Repeated to the Legation.
- Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 184; cf. telegram No. 56, February 6, 1932, 8 p.m., to the Chargé in Great Britain, p. 242.↩