793.94/14215: Telegram

The Consul General at Hankow (Josselyn) to the Secretary of State

23. At a conference this morning between British and Japanese authorities it was agreed that British Navy assisted by foreign volunteers and Chinese police would continue to police former British Concession except Bund to be policed by Japanese military representative. Japanese soldiers are forbidden to enter former British Concession. These measures to continue until arrival of adequate Japanese military police.

Japanese have evicted refugees from godowns, et cetera, in the former German Concession and have demanded that refugees be removed to the Chinese city.

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Looting by Chinese reported from native city. Japanese soldiers are commandeering whatever they please from Chinese in ex-German Concession and probably in native city.

A so-called all Hupeh Self-Protection Corps was yesterday established presumably to assume puppet government functions. The head of this organization is Hu Tsung Chun who claims to be a former divisional commander under Wu Pei Fu. He stated that he arrived Hankow 1 month ago.

Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai.

Josselyn