893.102S/1795: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 11—8:10 a.m.]
325. Reference my 300, May 1, 3 p.m. and 319, May 10, 1 p.m. Following is Embassy’s translation of note dated May 10 from the Foreign Office:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents its compliments to the American Embassy and, with reference to the interference of the authorities of the International Settlement of Shanghai with the hoisting of the Chinese national flag by the populace, has the honor to acknowledge receipt of Embassy’s reply May 3, of which the contents have been noted. A reply was subsequently received from the British Embassy stating that the authorities of the International Settlement of Shanghai have fixed a total of 8 days in each year for the hoisting of flags.
The Ministry has now the honor specially to announce that residents of the International Settlement of Shanghai certainly possess the right to hoist flags as provided above, and that even apart from the 8 days in question the freedom of Chinese residents to hoist flags is not subject to the effect of the restrictions stipulated by the authorities of the International Settlement.
Apart from communicating separately with the British Embassy, the Ministry in inditing this note requests the American Embassy to communicate to the authorities of the International Settlement of Shanghai the responsibility of respecting the freedom of Chinese residents of the Settlement to hoist flags.”
The Embassy is replying to the note stating that the matter has been referred to the Department.
Repeated to Peiping and Shanghai. Shanghai mail to Tokyo.