393.1163/1053: Telegram
The Ambassador in Japan (Grew) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 27—9:15 a.m.]
309. Department’s 106, February 13, 7 p.m., withdrawal of American missionaries from Shansi Province because of the persecution of Chinese adherents.
I took this matter up with the Foreign Minister today making special representations and leaving with him a written “oral” statement describing the facts as presented by the Embassy at Peiping. The Minister said that he was strongly opposed to the procedure of the Japanese military authorities in China. He knew that the American missionaries were peaceful and sincere people and that the suspicion of the military authorities that they were guilty of espionage and of nefarious activities was generally unjustified. I appealed to the Minister to give his personal interest to this matter and he promised to take immediate steps to comply with my representations.
Sent to the Department via Peiping. By mail to Chungking, Shanghai, Tientsin.