393.115/648: Telegram
The Consul at Hankow (Jarvis) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 26—12:35 p.m.]
114. Department’s 183, May 23, 6 p.m. to Shanghai. The Japanese Consul General at Hankow has replied to 4 of the 29 communications which since his arrival 7 months ago we have addressed to him with reference to bombing of American property at places normally within this consular district. Three of his replies, dated within the past 8 days in response to communications addressed to him a few days previously in regard to bombing of Lutheran Brethren Mission properties at Tungpeh and Tangho, Honan, on May 2nd and May 4th (my telegram No. 105, May 15, 3 p.m., and 106, May 15, 4 p.m.75) and Covenant Missionary Society properties at Kingmen on March 8th and April 27th and at Kienyangyi and Shihpaitsen, Hupeh (my telegram No. 109, May 1876), stated that the matter had been referred to the military authorities concerned. The other reply, dated April 27, 1939, referred to the bombing of the property of the Covenant Missionary Society at Siangyang, Hupeh on March 17th and stated that although Japanese airplanes “confirming the enemy was entering Siangyang, bombed the city, they paid every possible precaution in preventing the bombardment of the western part of the city where the properties of the third power nationals are situated”; a copy of this reply is being mailed, and copies of replies other than bare acknowledgments will in future be forwarded, to the Department, Chungking, Peiping and Shanghai.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, Shanghai.