793.94/11512: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7—1:06 p.m.]
1101. Reference my No. 1098, December 6, 7 p.m. According to the Japanese Domei news service, the Japanese military spokesman at press conference this morning stated that urgent necessity dictated by military requirements had caused the military police to make the arrest of the persons concerned who were suspected of being involved in a plot threatening the security of the Japanese forces and that when questioning revealed they were innocent they were released. The spokesman declared that “We did not intend to challenge or to deny the right of the Shanghai Municipal Police to police the International Settlement” and “we hope that there will be no further need for us to take such action if the Shanghai Municipal Police take the necessary steps”.
2. Municipal Council has reported the incident to the Senior Consul who is seeing the Japanese Consul General today. Notwithstanding all assurances, we may expect continuance of such measures so long as the Japanese military remain in Shanghai.
Repeated to Tokyo.