893.102 Tientsin/604: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Caldwell) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 17—2:47 a.m.]
272. My 270, November 13, 4 p.m.43 Barrier difficulties continue to increase. Several Americans have reported that they have been refused preferential treatment heretofore accorded to Americans at barriers and have been made to wait in line with delays of almost an hour in some cases. An American rug manufacturer reports that yesterday a truckload of rugs covered by a pass from this Consulate General [Page 251] and stamped by the Japanese Consulate General was refused passage until the rugs had been opened and spread out in the street for so-called inspection. One American has reported difficulty in bringing food supplies into the Concessions from the First Special Area where cheaper prices prevail. I am informed that other nationals are being prevented from bringing in such food supplies.
Coal situation is becoming critical, although the Kailan Mining Administration has ample stocks across the river in the Third Special Area, as coal is being permitted to enter in limited quantities only. Coal brought up the river by the Kailan Mining Corporation has to be unloaded for so-called inspection at the First Special Area and only two coal barges have been able to pass that point since the 30th. In the course of a conversation with the commander of the International Bridge Barrier Guard regarding a truckload of coal for employees of this Consulate General covered by a pass from this Consulate General and stamped by the Japanese Consulate General, which was passed on Vice Consul Yuni’s request after being delayed all day, Vice Consul Yuni was informed that on orders received the night before only a limited number of coal trucks (the number of which he declined to divulge) would be permitted to pass the barrier each day.
Although the newly arrived British Consul General was informed that General Homma was too busy to receive his initial call, yesterday when Consul Fletcher and Vice Consuls Johnson and Yuni made a courtesy call at the Japanese Military Headquarters they were received personally by General Homma, who himself brought up the question of the treatment of Americans in China in general and particularly at the barriers. He said that Americans did not appear to understand the difficulties of the Japanese or to appreciate the efforts of the Japanese military to avoid inconvenience to Americans, referring particularly to the fact that the Japanese military had issued to alien employees of American firms about five times as many passes as had been issued to any other nationality. It was pointed out to General Homma that although 153 such passes have been received there are in Tientsin just over 100 American firms, many of which have a very large number of employees, and some of which firms have received no passes, so that the number issued could not be regarded as excessive.
General Homma made it clear that the Japanese fear that these passes may be used for the benefit of the British and that they consider that any material increase in the number issued would reduce the effectiveness of the barricade of the Concessions.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai; air mail to Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩