390.1115A/74: Telegram
The Consul at Shanghai (Butrick) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 21—10:50 a.m.]
1126. Evacuation of Americans from Shanghai. The American President Lines acting as agents inform me that the vessels of the [Page 939] Matson Line will charge $395 for minimum first class accommodations, all regular first and second class accommodations will be considered first class, which establishes the minimum first class rate for the poorest second class accommodations; that the vessels of the United States Lines will charge $450 for minimum first class accommodations, that all regular first, second and third class accommodations will be considered first class which establishes the minimum first class rate for the poorest third class accommodations. Both ships apparently have slightly lower fares for dormitories (possibly improvised, with cots).
I feel that I ought to inform the Department that there exists deep dissatisfaction among the Americans here with the above arrangements and that the evacuation program may fail, for the present at least, unless greater consideration is given to the matter of adjusting fares downward, according to accommodations supplied. Some Americans can afford first class accommodations, many cannot.
Americans here are loyal and patriotic. They feel that the present evacuation advice should be heeded because it is a part of American national policy. By and large they do not feel that they are in immediate danger and they leave their homes here with reluctance. Many of them are selling their motor cars, household furnishings, et cetera, at a great loss. Many Americans will undergo the heavy expense of maintaining themselves here and their families in the United States. Many of the missionaries on returning to the United States will become public charges on their missions and possibly even be dismissed. The problem for many Americans is a serious one, possibly even implying at a future date loss of their businesses or employment. Americans in general recall that their Government over a period of years has encouraged them to come to China in the furtherance of American export trade and American missionary and philanthropic enterprises. This encouragement has been expressed through the maintenance of the open-door policy, the system of extraterritoriality, the passage by Congress of the China Trade Act,3 the establishment of export credits and the general protection afforded Americans and American business. Local Americans will pay fares that seem reasonable to them but they will, I fear, resent being charged high fares at a time when they feel they are assisting the national policy and their personal fortunes are being jeopardized.
All career officers have read this message and concur.
Sent to the Department. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping.
- Approved September 19, 1922; 42 Stat. 849.↩