393.115/261: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 12—8:10 a.m.]
639. Department’s 226, March 23, 8 p.m., regarding the refusal of the Japanese authorities to permit Americans to proceed to points in the interior in connection with missionary or business activities.
In spite of repeated representations made to local Japanese authorities very little progress has been made in obtaining passes for American missionaries to visit or return to their mission stations. [Page 315] During April passes were obtained for 1 missionary to return to Sung-kiang and 2 to Soochow. However, the latter were subsequently requested by the Japanese military to leave on the plea that conditions there were unsafe. As regards Nanking, passes for 2 doctors and 2 nurses were obtained from the Japanese military authorities but it has been impossible to obtain any additional passes for American missionaries desirous of returning to Nanking or to other cities.
With reference to return of American businessmen to the interior, the situation is even more unsatisfactory. Applications have been made for passes in behalf of several large American firms to permit their men to return either for purposes of brief inspection and the checking of losses or for the reopening of their respective businesses. The attitude of the local Japanese authorities is set forth in a letter dated April 27 from the Japanese Consul General in reply to representations made regarding the reopening and reoccupation by the Standard Oil Company of its installation at Chinkiang, Nanking, and Wuhu. The Japanese Consul General stated that, “I regret to state that I have not been advised by our military authorities to inform you that peace and order in and around the above-mentioned places are restored to such an extent as to enable them to comply with the request of the said company.” Actually conditions in the cities to which Americans seek to return are sufficiently tranquil although Chinese guerrillas are active in the surrounding countryside. Furthermore many Japanese merchants and their families are to be found in all such places.
This whole question is becoming increasingly urgent, firstly, because several missionary properties at Soochow, Liuho, Changshu, Wusih, and Yangchow have been vacated as the result of recent Japanese troop transfers and the missionary societies concerned are extremely anxious to despatch representatives to reoccupy and preserve such properties and, secondly, because American trade is likely to be seriously affected by continued Japanese refusal to permit American merchants to resume their activities or even to make visits of inspection and take steps to prevent further deterioration of stocks and equipment.
I am continuing to press the Japanese authorities here having discussed the whole question at length yesterday with the Counselor and First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy but it appears to me to be desired that further representations be made to the Japanese Government.
Repeated to Hankow, Peiping, Nanking, and Tokyo.