793.94/4525: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 2—9:25 a.m.]
144. Department’s telegram of January 27, 5 p.m.29 regarding radio [Page 492] station at Chenju. Yesterday afternoon I received following from Japanese Consul General dated February 29th:
“In deference to your recent verbal request for the protection of the plant of the radio station in Chenju, we have so far effectively tried to comply with your wishes. The reports, however, have reached the Japanese military authorities to the effect that Chinese have dug trenches and established their headquarters approximately within 200 meters covering above-named plant. The self-imposed restraint, on the part of Japanese forces, were [was?] to be based on the expectation that you would see to it that such state of affairs would not be allowed to exist. We, therefore, would like to verify the above reports from you. At the same time we request that you will take such effective precautions immediately as will keep a radius of at least 500 meters around the aforesaid plant free from any Chinese combatant or base or channel of his military activities, so as to ensure that no fragments of shells or bombs might, by chance, endanger the safety of the plant or any part thereof.”
I am seeing Mayor Wu this afternoon and will point out that the request of the Japanese Consul General appears reasonable and express hope that an arrangement in this sense may be mutually agreed to by both sides. I shall, however, state I can naturally assume no responsibility for either side carrying agreement into effect.
Repeated to the Legation, copy to Minister.
- Not printed.↩