894.001H61/109a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Dickover)
119. 1. On September 14 the Japanese Embassy informally brought to the attention of the Department the intention of a radical organization known as “American Friends of the Chinese People” to hold in New York on September 17, a mock trial of the Emperor of Japan for “crimes committed against China” and on September 18 an anti-Japanese demonstration.
2. There being no Federal statute which would afford warrant for intervention by the Federal Government, an officer of the Department yesterday proceeded to New York to consult with the municipal authorities. The municipal authorities after careful consideration expressed the opinion that they also had no basis in law for taking action to prevent the carrying out of the plans above mentioned, and that any informal action on their part directed toward persuading those responsible for the plans to abandon their projects would not accomplish the desired end and would only be seized upon as a means of obtaining further publicity.
3. Please orally and informally convey the substance of the foregoing to the Foreign Office. You should add that we do not anticipate that the meetings will attract sufficient attention to make likely any violence, but that every precaution is being taken to protect the persons and property of Japanese nationals in New York against any threatened violence which might arise.
4. Please emphasize to the Foreign Office that the Department is treating as confidential the approach made to it by the Japanese Embassy.
[Page 297]5. It is desired that you express your personal view that it is a matter for regret whenever any incident arises calculated to give offense to a friendly nation.
6. A statement along the foregoing lines is being made orally to the Japanese Embassy in response to the initiative taken by that Embassy mentioned in paragraph 1 above.