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

393.11/1420: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in China (Johnson)

Washington , February 10, 1932—5 p.m.

50. Your 214, February 9, 2 p.m., in regard to welfare of American missionaries at Kanchow and vicinity.

1. Representatives of the National Catholic Welfare Conference called at the Department this morning and stated that according to their records there are the following American citizens at Kanchow and in the vicinity thereof: At Kanchow proper, four American citizens, namely, O’Shea, Cahill, Gately, McLaughlin, also one Swiss citizen named Meyrat; at Taholi, 20 miles from Kanchow, four American citizens, namely, Erbe, Curtis, O’Donnell and Munday; at Lung-nan, 120 miles from Kanchow, one American citizen, namely, Flaherty. The National Catholic Welfare Conference states that Father Moehringer is now believed to be en route to the United States and that Father Lewis is now in this country.

2. Ref erring to Hankow’s telegram to the Department No. 27, February 9, 5 p.m.,¹⁰ reporting that General Ho Chen Chun states that the troops in the neighborhood of Kanchow are being replaced by fresh troops, National Catholic Welfare Conference expresses the opinion that it might have a steadying effect upon the situation at Kanchow if General Ho should send word to Kanchow that fresh troops are en route.

3. Department desires that the Legation and the appropriate Consulates continue to impress upon the Chinese authorities the necessity for according due protection to the American citizens in danger and that the Consul General at Hankow continue to urge that American citizens evacuate from dangerous and exposed localities.

4. Repeat pertinent portions of above to Hankow, Nanking and Canton.

Stimson

10. Not printed.