393.115/113: Telegram
The Third Secretary of Embassy in China ( Allison ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:51 p.m.]
21. Japanese soldiers continue to enter American property at will and remove goods and employees of American institutions without giving notice or reasons for their action, the most recent cases in some respects within the past 3 days, and I have therefore today addressed a protest to the Japanese Embassy.
I stated that American residents have informed me that they have no objection to the Japanese military authorities carrying out reasonable and orderly searches of American property nor have the Americans any desire to protect wrongdoers or interfere with the [Page 233] proper military control of the population but that I must protest against this irregular, unexplained and forcible entry of American property. I further stated that, in the future, I must insist that when the Japanese military authorities desire to search American property for any reason that the Embassy be notified and given particulars as to the place to be searched and the objective. I added that I would then be glad to designate a member of the Embassy staff or a responsible American to accompany the soldiers and give them every reasonable assistance.
I concluded by saying that “it is my desire to cooperate in every possible way with the Japanese authorities but I cannot consent to American property and the homes of American citizens being entered arbitrarily nor can I agree to employees of American institutions being removed by the Japanese military without any explanation”.
Sent to Embassy at Hankow, repeated to Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.