Office of the Historian

693.002 Manchuria/179: Telegram

The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Secretary of State

Shanghai, July 11, 1932—noon.
[Received July 11—5:20 a.m.]

331. Referring to Department’s telegram No. 214, July 6, 3 p.m.

1.
Talbot report dated July 1st. Japanese adviser with several [Page 136] alleged Manchrikuo police in plain clothes and armed entered Commissioner’s house on June 30 and forced him to hand over archives. The Japanese adviser replying to Commissioner’s protest stated that he has made every effort to carry out orders even ignoring the Japanese Consul and all other interests involved. The Japanese Consul to whom the authorities applied for assistance informed him that he had no authority to act favorably on Talbot’s demand for protection. If further investigations justify the Tribunes statement regarding Japanese police will answer Department. Prior to June 27 Talbot removed archives from customhouse outside railway zone to residence in railway zone. Talbot was threatened with “display of arms”. Talbot on July 2nd reported Japanese Consul assured him that there will be no repetition of the Manchukuo activities as occurred on June 30. Talbot also states that he is of the opinion the Japanese Consul was subject to force majeure on June 30th.
2.
I have been favored by being able to read over all telegrams exchanged between Commissioner and Inspector General and foregoing is taken almost entirely from these telegrams.
3.
The Inspector General states that there are two sides to Manchurian customs questions: (1) the Dairen customs which functions under a separate agreement between China and Japan, and (2) the treaty ports of Manchuria question, i.e., Dairen is not a the [sic] treaty port.
Cunningham