393.1163 Am 32/74: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 14—9:15 a.m.]
413. Reference despatch No. 198, July 19, 1934 from Consulate at Yunnanfu64 concerning activities of William M. Young and his two sons of American Baptist Mission in Lantsang District, Western Yunnan. In despatch of yesterday’s date64 Legation has reviewed case and earnestly suggested that during the presence in the United States on furlough of Harold M. Young the Department seek to bring emphatic pressure upon Baptist Foreign Mission Society and upon Young in person to play full part in terminating extra treaty activities of the Youngs in the district where they work. Unless Young plans to leave the United States at an early date for return to mission station the Legation suggests that the Department await receipt of Legation’s despatch of September 12th before communicating with mission.
2. Foreign Office note of August 12 [7]64 reiterates former and additional charges against William M. Young and his two sons and renews request that they be ordered to leave China. Note also specifically charges Harold Young with consulting in person with certain “ambitious politicians of India plotting to conquer wild Kawa territory” in the disputed zone along the Yunnan-Burma [border?] with transmitting mineral specimens to Rangoon, et cetera. Legation’s despatch discusses such charges. Latest report from American Consulate at Yunnanfu expresses its opinion that question of personal safety and protection of missionaries is for the time being satisfactorily resolved. Legation is convinced that such situation is but temporary unless William M. Young has left Yunnan in response to the promised instructions of his mission board. If the board has not yet received assurances that William Young has left, it is urged that measures be taken by board to ensure that he departs [Page 474] from Yunnan and that his sons strictly confine themselves to missionary work as clearly defined by the treaties failing which they too should be ordered removed from China.