693.001/499: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan ( Grew ) to the Secretary of State
Tokyo
, January
31, 1939—noon.
[Received 4:02 p.m.]
[Received 4:02 p.m.]
52. Our 39, January 21, 3 p.m.77 Return of Americans to Hankow. The situation described in Shanghai’s 59, January 20, 5 p.m. having been brought to the atention of the Foreign Office, an oral reply was received substantially as follows:
- 1.
- Shinyo Maru, which sailed from Shanghai for Hankow on January 21, carried no foreigners. Two American women who had permission to proceed on that vessel cancelled passage;
- 2.
- The Japanese authorities at Shanghai are giving consideration to the granting of passes to foreigners in the following order: first, military and civil government employees; second, all others proceeding to Hankow as replacements for those coming down river; third; wives and children of the above;
- 3.
- Since January 1 there has been a tightening up, with fewer passes being issued, for the reason that conditions at Hankow are not satisfactory. The situation there was expected to clear up later on, but in any event the Japanese authorities at Shanghai would have to be the judge in the matter of the granting of passes;
- 4.
- The Japanese Consulate General at Shanghai had reported that it regretted that the American Consulate General felt that American citizens were being less favorably treated than other foreigners but there is no justification for this feeling.
Repeated to Peiping and Hankow.
[Grew]
- Not printed.↩