Office of the Historian

393.1111 Baker, Charles/90: Telegram

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

Shanghai, May 4, 1932—1 p.m.
[Received May 4—9:25 a.m.]

My April 23, noon.

1.
I called on T. V. Soong here yesterday and handed to him copies [Page 510] of letters received from Baker which were quoted in Shanghai’s 207, April 12, 9 a.m.,53 my April 15, 7 p.m. I informed Soong of the importance which the American Government attaches to this case and explained to him what I had done at Nanking.
2.
I thanked Soong for the assistance which he is giving through the despatch of Mr. Hsi and the help which Mr. Findlay Andrew and Sir John Hope Simpson were giving in connection with flood relief in the area where Baker is held.
3.
In the afternoon I saw Sir John Hope Simpson and also Mr. Andrew. The latter is in immediate contact through his agents with the communist forces who hold Baker as well as British priest, Father Sands. Andrew told me that they were now negotiating for the release of Father Sands preliminary to tackling the more difficult problem of Baker. Sands represents a simpler problem because Communists expect little in the way of ransom, and success in his case will furnish idea as to the probabilities in the case of Baker who is looked upon by Communists as being an important man. They believe him to be the owner of the Yangtze Rapid Steamship Company and rumored activities of American Government on his behalf are reaching them with the result that they are likely to make their demands in his case high and difficult.
4.
Andrew asked me to do what we could to prevent further publicity. Success of his efforts depends entirely upon the absence of all publicity in the matter. He hopes that within 2 or 3 weeks he will have some results. I therefore trust that Department will approve my leaving matter entirely quiet for the time being as I am confident that there is little we can do to strengthen the hands of Andrew, Soong having given him carte blanche in so far as use of flood relief supplies is concerned. Success of his game depends on their getting it done before the crops come in.
5.
I gather from Andrew and others that Von Wiegand and Lady Drummond-Hay, who have recently made a trip up the river for the purpose of getting news, have been fanning public interest in this case through their telegrams to the Hearst papers. It is hoped that interest in this matter will quiet now that these correspondents have gone.

Repeated to Department, Hankow, Nanking.

Johnson
  1. Not printed.↩