893.102S/2556: Telegram
The Consul at Shanghai (Stanton) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 25—8 a.m.]
1746. At the special meeting of the Shanghai Municipal Council held on November 18 it was unanimously agreed to inform the Defense Committee that upon departure of the marines the Council would assume responsibility for the preservation of law and order in Sector C and that the Council proposed to place primary responsibility for the maintenance of law and order in both Sectors C and B upon the Shanghai Municipal Police who in case of necessity might require the [Page 587] assistance of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps. The Secretary and Commissioner General was instructed by the Council to communicate the decision of the Council to the Defense Committee and also to state that in the event of a great emergency the Council hoped it might also be able to rely on the assistance of other defense forces in the International Settlement. The above was communicated to the Defense Committee on November 19.
In a communication dated November 19 Admiral Makita, commander of the Japanese naval landing party, requested that following the withdrawal of the Fourth Marines the “defense of Sector C shall be placed in charge of the Shanghai Municipal Police and the Shanghai Volunteer Corps for the time being”. Admiral Makita added that “The Japanese force will stand ready at all times to give any assistance which is deemed necessary from the standpoint of maintaining peace and order”. Although this letter is dated November 19 it was not actually received by the Council until this morning.
Sent to the Department, repeated to Chungking and Peiping.