Foreign Relations of the United States, Diplomatic Papers, 1935, The Far East, Volume III

793.94/7394

The Consul General at Shanghai (Cunningham) to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)¹¹

[No.] 8936

Shanghai, October 23, 1935.

Sir: I have the honor to refer to this office’s despatch No. 8834 of September 4, 1935,¹² in which was reported the informal protest of Mr. Itaro Ishii, Japanese Consul General, in regard to articles published recently in the China Weekly Review¹³ (American and Chinese registered), and to enclose a copy of a memorandum of conversation¹² between Consul General Ishii and myself on October 18, 1935.

Consul General Ishii referred to his previous visit on September 3, 1935, and stated that it was more or less informal and unofficial but that since no relief had been obtained by his oral protest it would be necessary for him to make an official protest in writing against the publication in the China Weekly Review of the articles mentioned in the enclosure to my despatch referred to above. I informed Mr. Ishii that it would be impossible for me to comply with his request and apologize for the publication of the articles in the China Weekly Review, nor would it be possible for me to censor Mr. Powell¹⁴ for publishing the articles.

Respectfully yours,

Edwin S. Cunningham

11. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Consul General in his despatch No. 10393, October 23; received November 18.
12. Not printed.
13. The articles in question referred to the Emperor of Japan in terms considered objectionable by the Japanese.
12. Not printed.
14. John B. Powell, American editor and publisher of the China Weekly Review.