793.94/9776: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 28—6:19 p.m.]
549. Acting upon request from Tientsin the German, British, French, Italian representatives and I addressed the following note to the Chinese Foreign Office August 27:
“We have the honor to state that a collective message has been received from the consular representatives of our respective nationalities and from the Belgian Consul General at Tientsin stating that in view of the recent aerial bombing of Shanghai and persistent rumors of contemplated bombing of Tientsin, which rumors cannot [Page 294] be confirmed there but may nevertheless be of serious importance, the consular representatives have consulted together and have decided to request that representations be made both to the Chinese and to the Japanese authorities, in the hope of preventing any aerial bombing of Tientsin. They point out that such bombing must inevitably bring grave danger to all the foreign population of Tientsin.
We urge that the statements of the foreign consular offices be given most serious consideration by the National Government, in view of the gravity of the issues involved, and that suitable assurances be given by the National Government. We are communicating with our respective Diplomatic Missions in Tokyo, asking that similar representations be made by them and similar assurances be sought from the Japanese authorities.[”]
My colleagues request that this telegram be repeated to the American Ambassador at Tokyo for transmission to the Diplomatic Missions of the nations listed in order that suitable representations may be made by them.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Peiping and Tientsin.