893.102S/1808: Telegram
The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 19—7:15 a.m.]
340. Reference Embassy’s 222, March 29, 9 a.m., and 226, March 30, 10 a.m.,57 and Department’s 63, April 3, 8 p.m., and Shanghai’s 382, May 13, 2 p.m. Following is Embassy’s translation of a note dated May 18 from the Chinese Foreign Office:
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received a report to the effect that on May 5, 1939 Japanese gendarmes arrested five Chinese in a certain restaurant in the International Settlement of Shanghai.
It is observed that, with reference to the case of the illegal search and apprehension by Japanese military authorities of residents of the International Settlement of Shanghai, communications have repeatedly been addressed to the American Embassy requesting it to transmit instructions to the Settlement authorities to take steps to stop such activity, as well as to insure the nonrecurrence of similar incidents in the future. Now the action of the Japanese gendarmes in again arbitrarily arresting five Chinese in the Settlement is obviously in contempt of the police rights of the Settlement. The lives of residents of the Settlement will hereafter lose their security.
The Ministry has the honor therefore to reiterate its request that the American Embassy give its serious attention to the matter and take steps to order the early release of the five Chinese in question. A reply is also requested”.
The Embassy is replying to the note to the effect that the matter has been referred to the Department and Shanghai.
Sent to Shanghai, repeated to Peiping.
- Telegram No. 226 not printed.↩