Office of the Historian

125.956/37: Telegram

The Consul at Tsinan (Allison), Temporarily at Tsingtao, to the Secretary of State

Tsingtao, November 8, 1937—2 p.m.
[Received November 9—7:22 a.m.]

After several days personal investigation in Tsinanfu and interviews with American citizens, it is my opinion that the Consulate should be reopened for the following reasons:

(1)
Many Americans who had left the district have now returned and they have expressed the feeling, in personal interview and by letter, that the presence of an American Consul at Tsinanfu would be of material assistance to them as well as make their work easier by adding to the prestige of the United States which they say has suffered while the Consulate has been closed.
(2)
Certain specific matters of interest to American trade, such as the confiscating by the Shantung Provincial Government of motor trucks sold by Americans on the installment plan, need Consular attention and can only adequately be taken care of in Tsinanfu, the provincial capital.
(3)
The presence of an American Consul who can make independent reports might have a discouraging effect on possible indiscriminate bombing of the crowded city of Tsinanfu.
(4)
It is the opinion of competent observers that the likelihood of large scale hostilities taking place in the city of Tsinanfu itself is slight and the possible danger to Consular staff is not such as to warrant keeping the Consulate closed now that American citizens are beginning to return.

I therefore request that I be given authority to reopen the Tsinanfu Consulate and that transportation expenses from Tsinanfu to Tsingtao and return be approved so that Consular records may be obtained.

Sent to the Department, repeated to Nanking, Peiping.

Allison