701.0090/2351: Telegram
The Minister in Switzerland (Harrison) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 25—12:28 p.m.]
5982. Your 2321, September 22. My 5933, September 23.45 Foreign Office note September 24 states no reply yet from Gorgé but quotes following response telegram dated September 23 from Fontanel.
“Luggage restrictions have been generally enforced by local Japanese authorities for all passengers embarked in Shanghai on Teia Maru, that is, luggage was limited to three pieces per person each of maximum 30 kilos plus two pieces hand baggage. Furthermore, passengers were not accorded facilities to arrange shipment of personal effects stored with friends or private warehouses and were neither permitted to take with them silverware stored in my care. Moreover, all luggage was subjected to extremely severe examination and many articles such as for instance medicines, infant food, tinned foodstuffs in excess of five tins, cigarettes in excess of two hundred pieces, coffee, sugar, soap (except one or two cakes per person), playing cards, alcoholic drinks, candles (even church candles), personal photographs, writing paper, paper wrappings and all written material including personal documents except Bible and passport were confiscated. Unaccompanied women with small children and persons in poor health were obliged to carry hand baggage from pier to steamer as no wharf coolies were provided.”
Fontanel further reports did everything possible to obtain less severe measures by local Japanese authorities but experienced great difficulty. July 13 he requested instructions from Gorgé on subject baggage and personal effects but was only advised August 13 that baggage arrangements would probably be similar those in effect first exchange. This was confirmed by Swiss Legation September 7 but Gorgé added that local authorities had decided to limit baggage to five pieces per person as apparent result instructions imposed all ports by reduced capacity vessel.
When Fontanel learned through Japanese Consulate that evacuees would probably be transferred directly from detention centers to vessel he suggested they be authorized leave centers on parole for one or two days to permit them to settle personal affairs. This request received no response.
September 15 Japanese Consulate informed Fontanel that following instructions would be given evacuees.
“Articles permitted to be taken on board: (1) personal ornaments (watches, rings, cuff-buttons, et cetera); (2) clothing (clothes, shoes, hats, umbrellas, et cetera); (3) toilet sets (handbags, compacts, et cetera); (4) smoking articles (pipes, cigarettes, lighters, et cetera); (5) writing material (fountain pens, pencils, et cetera); (6) traveling requisites (wrappers, blankets, et cetera); (7) others such as toys and other requisites for infants and Bibles without any entries and inscriptions thereon; (8) any articles other than the above and particularly books, printed matters, photographs, et cetera, are strictly prohibited; (9) it is also prohibited to take (a) new made articles covered by (1) to (7) in large quantities, (b) things beyond one’s means, (c) things of one and the same kind in large quantities.
Number of luggage, that is, trunks, suitcases, kit bags, et cetera, must not exceed three per person and the weight of each must not be more than thirty kilos in addition two small parcels or hand baggages which may comfortably be carried by a repatriate on the day of embarkation would be permitted subject to examination of the contents by the authorities.”
Fontanel then approached Japanese Consulate to endeavor obtain modification foregoing instructions which were not according exchange terms but his intervention was without result. He adds in conclusion “although no prior instructions to this effect were issued to passengers it was ascertained on embarkation that the three pieces of luggage were stored in cargo hold and would remain inaccessible during voyage.”
- Not printed; it reported delivery of the contents of Department’s telegram No. 2292, September 17, to the Japanese Foreign Office on September 18 (701.0090/2342).↩