393.1163/798: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 12—8:20 a.m.]
381. Following is summary of a petition dated March 10th addressed to the Secretary of State by nine American missionary organizations working in the Lower Yangtze Valley.
It is pointed out that since Japanese occupation of this area missionaries have been denied access to mission property and that during their enforced absence nearly all buildings have been looted and damaged and some destroyed by fire. Secretary of State is therefore petitioned:
- (1)
- To make formal protest to the Japanese Government against the continued occupation of American property by the Japanese Army;
- (2)
- To request adequate protection for all American mission property;
- (3)
- To urge that missionaries be given free access to their stations and full use of mission property at an early date.
With the petition is enclosed a list showing that American mission property at the followed named places is occupied at the present time by Japanese troops: Changshu, Changchow, Chinkiang, Liuho, Nansiang, Quinsan, Shanghai, Soochow, Sungkiang, Yangchow and Wusih in the Province of Kiangsu and Huchow and Kashing in Chekiang Province.
Petition is being forwarded by me by air mail.83 I urge that strong representations be made against the continued occupation of American mission property and denial of access thereto.
Repeated to Hankow, Tokyo and Peiping.
- Not printed.↩