793.94 Commission/222
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received May 21.]
Sir: In continuation of the Legation’s despatch No. 1482 of April 14, 1932,79 regarding the visit of the League of Nations Inquiry Commission to Peiping, I have the honor to report that, as stated in my telegram No. 447 of April 19, 4 p.m.,79 the Commission departed from Peiping on the evening of April 19th for Chinwangtao and Manchuria. The departure was delayed for several days owing to the continued objection (presumably at Japanese instigation) of the authorities of the new state of Manchukuo to the entrance into Manchuria of Dr. Wellington Koo, Chinese Assessor to the Commission. The impasse was finally solved by the adoption of a compromise arrangement whereby some of the members of the Commission, including Dr. Koo, are to enter Manchuria via Dairen and the others are to proceed by rail to Mukden.
During the last few days of their sojourn in Peiping the Commission took testimony from various Mongolian and Manchurian princes; Mr. Yano, Counselor of the Japanese Legation, who explained the closing of the Chen Pao and The Leader as well as the bombing affair at the residence of the Japanese naval attaché; Mr. Kuwashima, Japanese Consul General at Tientsin, and officers of the Japanese garrison at Tientsin, who gave testimony regarding the Tientsin incident; Mr. Kwan Kwang-yu, and other Manchu refugees from the Northeast; members of the faculty of the Northeastern University; General Chang Tso-hsiang, former Chairman of the Province of Kirin; and General Wan Fu-lin, former Chairman of the Province of Heilungkiang.
On April 17th the Commission visited the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs as the guests of Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang.
[Page 711]The Legation was advised by Professor Blakeslee that he had been requested to make a particular study of the Tientsin incidents and of the mysterious departure of Pu Yi, the Boy Emperor, from Tientsin for Dairen. To assist him in this investigation the files of the Legation pertaining to these two points were placed at his disposal, and an office was assigned to him where he might study the files and do any other work that he desired.
On the occasion of its visit to Peiping the Commission did not call upon the Legation for any further information, but it is probable that the Commission will return to this city during the latter part of May or early in June at which time information on the subjects listed on the attached memorandum80 (handed to me by General McCoy) may be solicited.
The Commission apparently made a very favorable impression during their stay in Peiping. There has been no adverse comment, in so far as I am aware, either about the individual members or the Commission as a whole. The only editorial comment which has appeared in the press has been with reference to the opposition to the entry of Wellington Koo into Manchukuo. Copies of such editorials as have appeared in the Peiping and Tientsin press are enclosed herewith81 for the Department’s information.
Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Legation