393.115/477: Telegram
The First Secretary of Embassy in China (Salisbury) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:30 p.m.]
601. 1. The following note dated October 3d has been received from the Japanese Embassy:
“I have the honor to communicate to you, at the instance of the Japanese military authorities in North China, on the matter pertaining [Page 487] to the protection of the life and property of the nationals of the third powers in the area of military operations in China.
The representatives of the third powers in China are respectfully requested for the full compliance with the specified requests already made by the Japanese authorities in the past in regard to their respective nationals and properties in the territories embracing the areas along the Kinhan3 Railway south of the Yellow River and regions west of the Chengchow Districts of the Lunghai Railway and the area between the above-mentioned two railway lines.
If there are any of those nationals whose presence and the positions of properties which have not as yet been communicated to the Japanese authorities, [they?] are asked to send in their reports. And those marks on the foreign properties, already installed but which have been deteriorated or their clear visibility is marred due to their constant exposure to elements, are requested to be replaced with the new ones. It is further requested that the good offices of the foreign Embassies and Legations will be pleased to give all the effectual efforts for keeping the resisting Chinese forces and their military establishments away from the properties of the nationals of their countries while the Japanese forces are engaged in offensives and especially while the shelling and bombing are conducted. The Japanese forces in fact even dared to undergo the strategic inconveniences and suffer disadvantages in their operations in order that they might accord the full respect for and protection of the life and property of the third power nationals in China.
In this connection, the authorities of the third powers are earnestly requested for rendering their cooperation with the sincere efforts of the Japanese military authorities giving a due cognizance of the true situation in the execution of their military operations.”
2. The principal parts of the text of the note were published in the local press this morning.
3. An officer of the Japanese Embassy has informed me orally that the delivery of the note to this Embassy is of a routine nature and that no reply thereto from us is necessary. Unless instructed to the contrary, no reply will be made.
4. Sent to the Ambassador. Repeated to Hankow. Copy by mail to Tientsin and Tokyo.
- Peiping–Hankow.↩