893.102S/1804: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:25 p.m.]
390. Reference Department’s 164, May 13, 2 p.m., regarding the International Settlement.
(a) Following is gist of regulations governing the “Shanghai People’s Mobilization General Society”: Article 2 states the purpose of the society is to “carry on propaganda among the people, organize the people and to develop a widespread mass movement in Shanghai to carry on military, political, all anti-Japanese and national salvation work, provided they are not contrary to the laws and ordinances of the Government” (meaning the National Government). Article 8 reads in part: “As this society is intended to organize the people during the period of resistance everything shall be militarized. Under the general society there shall be established four mobilization societies for students, laborers, merchants, and women.” Article 9 reads in part: “In order to develop a mass movement in the suburbs of Shanghai this society shall separately organize a ‘People’s Self-Defense Corps for Resistance Against the Enemy’ which shall be of an entirely military nature.” Article 13 reads in part: “With a view to exercising internally strict prevention against spies and externally exterminating traitors this society shall have a special service section under the Department of Organization.” Article 28 reads: “These regulations shall be put into force from the date of approval by the General Mobilization Committee of the General Society and shall be submitted to the Kuomintang and administrative organizations for record.”
This society was inaugurated at Shanghai on March 23 and secretly issued and circulated inciting manifesto which contained such statements as “we swear hereafter we will not live with the enemy robbers under the same sky and will demonstrate the strength of the various classes of the people. Not only will the obstinate enemy in the suburbs be caused to shrink and to conceal themselves and to return Chinese territory to us but also in the foreign Concessions we should make [Page 51] known the heroic and unyielding spirit of descendants of our Chinese ancestors”. Speaking of the eradication of traitors the manifesto stated “some may assume responsibility for detection and secret service work, some may undertake the work of assaulting and killing the traitors”.
(b) There appears to be little doubt that the society and the regulations governing its purposes and operation were drawn up by the local branch of the Kuomintang. On March 18 the local Chinese language newspapers published the Shanghai Kuomintang’s organic outline of the society which indicated that the local party office was responsible for its establishment; it was also announced on the same day that the local party office had selected 30 persons to serve as the society’s committee. Furthermore the speech made by General Chiang Kai Shek on April 17 in which he exhorted all Chinese citizens to bolster the mobilization movement was given great prominence in the local Chinese press and was directly connected with the local development of the movement.
(c) As regards the use of the foreign information in representations to the National Government, I feel that there would be no impropriety in referring to the objectives and organization of the society or in citing specific articles of the regulations. I believe however that the source from which the regulations were obtained (the French Consul General) should not be disclosed.
With reference to Chinese activities within the International Settlement which may be considered unwarranted, I feel that the continued secret but active functioning of the Kuomintang is directly responsible for much of the terrorism, political agitation and anti-Japanese propaganda which are to be found here. The local Kuomintang is not only largely responsible for such organizations as the Mobilization Society but is also believed to be connected with such terrorist societies as the so-called “Chinese Youths’ Iron and Blood Corps for National Salvation”. The local Kuomintang office is also understood constantly to press the various Chinese educational and labor organizations to engage in “patriotic” activities.
I am told by press sources that when prominent Chinese such as T. V. Soong56 have been warned that continued political activity here must eventually result in drastic action by the Japanese and perhaps in Japanese occupation of the Settlement and Concession to the serious detriment of Chinese interests and the safety of Chinese residents, they have been of the opinion that Japan “would not” antagonize the foreign powers by such action. Efforts have been made here in the past to point out the serious possibilities of the situation to prominent [Page 52] Chinese who however have apparently been fearful of being misunderstood locally and at Chungking if they counseled moderation. Recently however there has been some indication here of a realization of the seriousness of the situation and I am told that some moderating influence is being exerted. Developments at Amoy may have a sobering effect in regard to Shanghai. The Chinese Government apparently does not understand that there is not sufficient strength and no intention on the part of the foreign garrison forces here to prevent a Japanese occupation of the Settlement and Concession if the Japanese determine to undertake it. Chinese terrorism and anti-Japanese activities have given abundant pretext for such action.
Repeated to Chungking and Peiping, code text by air mail to Tokyo.
- Former Chinese Minister of Finance.↩