893.102 Kulangsu/219: Telegram
The Consul at Amoy (MacVitty) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:46 p.m.]
88. 1. During my conversations with my colleagues yesterday, as reported in my telegrams dated July 25, 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., and sent to the Ambassador, important facts developed which must be commented upon. It appears from telegrams received by my colleagues [Page 142] that the Japanese Ambassador at Shanghai has been endeavoring to give the British and French Ambassadors at that place the impression: that it is the fault of the Consular Body here that negotiations have reached an impasse; that if colleagues will agree to the appointment of a Japanese inspector all will be well. However, nothing is being said as to the other Japanese demands.
2. The situation here is that while the representatives of Japanese Foreign Office say one thing, the Japanese Navy, which appears to have paramount interest in Amoy, does not seem to be an [in?] agreement with the Foreign Office, and that in the negotiations with the Municipal Council Mr. Uchida has not made any offer that has varied from the intent of his original demands. As evidence that these demands have not been dropped, articles are now appearing in the Japanese subsidized press in Amoy demanding that the Municipal Council agree to the appointment of three Chinese councilors by the puppet government.
3. It must be pointed out that in connection with the foregoing the Consular Body has no power to force the Municipal Council to take any action, it can only suggest. The Municipal Council cannot bind itself to any unusual increase in expenditure without the authority of the ratepayers. The Japanese Consul General is well aware of the above facts but he still insists that his demands be met without reference to the ratepayers.
4. As evidence of the Japanese endeavor to discredit the local foreign representatives, the following is of interest: A source close to the Japanese Consulate General has reported to me that the Japanese Ambassador is going to or already has reported to his Foreign Office that I am anti-Japanese and that I should be transferred. Confidential: It is possible that in connection with the publicity given the Kulangsu incident the Japanese representative in Panama may have reported my connection with the Joint Intelligence Board at Panama during 1934–1935.
Sent to the Department and Embassy at Chungking; repeated to Peiping and Shanghai. Peiping please repeat to Tokyo.