Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1932, The Far East, Volume IV

893.00/12216

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Nanking to the Chinese Legation⁴²

[Nanking,] December 1, 1932.

I. Mr. Lin Sen, Chairman of the National Government, returned to Nanking today. He first went to the Mausoleum with the high officials of the Government to pay his homage to the memory of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen and then attended at the auditorium of the National Government the meeting which marked the formal return of the seat of the National Government from Loyang to Nanking.

In an order promulgated at the same time it was stated that in violation of the Covenant of the League of Nations, the Anti-War Pact of Paris and the Nine Power Treaty of Washington, Japan first occupied Manchuria and then attacked Woosung and Shanghai, endangering Nanking, the Capital of the Nation. To meet the emergency thus created, the National Government moved its Capital to Loyang. In order that peace might be maintained within and resistance continued to meet the invasion from without, the Government at that time called into session a National Salvation Conference and ordered the Commission of Military Affairs to despatch a large force to Honan, Hupeh, Anhui, Kiangsi, Fukien and other provinces to subjugate the bandits and pacify the suffering inhabitants. Now as the extraordinary conditions in these provinces have gradually been returned to normal, the League of Nations is in session, and the public opinion of the world has discerned the truth of our dispute with Japan, and as diplomatic negotiations require expeditious action, the National Government has removed its seat to Nanking, where communications are convenient and contacts with the other capitals of the world may be facilitated.

The order also stated that the National Government would respect the many multilateral treaties in letter as well as in spirit in all its relations with its neighbors, but the National Government would not for a moment relax its resistance against the aggressor.

II. According to reliable reports, the people within the Japanese sphere of military occupation have been oppressed to the extreme. The following three cases may be cited:

1. “The Five-Family-Responsible-Rule”. The Japanese have now enforced a law holding five families responsible for the act of an individual. Should one person enter the home of another in another village, five families should be responsible for his movements. If there should be the slightest suspicion members of the five families would be heavily punished. The villagers, therefore, are not without the greatest trepidation in receiving friends or relatives.

2. “Good-People Certificates”. The Japanese have been compelling the villagers to take out the so-called “Good People Certificates” without which they are not allowed to come to the towns or cities.

3. Watch Towers. The Japanese have put up every six miles along the railway lines a tall watch tower to ascertain the positions and movements of the volunteers.

42. Translation of telegram transmitted to the Department by the Chinese Legation, December 3, 1932.