893.00/12–2448: Telegram
The Consul General at Tientsin (Smyth) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 25—12:34 a. m.]
487. Two of city’s leading Chinese businessmen called me this morning, gave me copy telegram signed by 36 most prominent local Chinese civilians including merchants, bankers, industrialists, gentry, professional men, educators, et cetera. Telegram sent December 22 to Fu Tso-yi, Peiping, garrison commander, mayor Tientsin. Summary follows:
We, Tientsin citizens, view with grave concern movement troops into heart of city and preparation being made for street fighting. Tientsin first port of North China and commerce and industry built up through long years of work. We feel that you and your officers, patriotic and loyal to people, would abhor to see tragic loss of life along [among] 2 million inhabitants of Tientsin and wanton destruction of valuable property. We feel obliged to request and propose that, as Tientsin is place where Chinese and foreigners live together and is a city of [on] which livelihood of people depends, armed forces should be cleared out of city and garrisoned in outskirts, so that ravages [Page 681] of war may be reduced to minimum. As no war can continue indefinitely, so must this war cease some day. But war destruction will take generation to recover. We fervently pray that you will bend every effort to avoid disastrous eventuality for good of country in general and Tientsin in particular. (End of Summary.)
My callers said copy of telegram sent to all local Chinese papers yesterday but publication suppressed by garrison commander. They are also giving copies to British and French Consuls here.
Present actions of Government military incredible unless seen. Sand bag pillboxes, street barricades, machine guns being erected all over central part of city, particularly ex-Italian, ex-French and ex-British concessions. Machine gun implacements field of fire limited many cases only to other side of street. Thousands of troops being brought to center of city to man barricades and armed sentries abound, but few soldiers in outlying parts of city although defense moat around it is manned. Former Haialai Sports Building ex-Italian concession made munitions depot. Chinese merchants and civilians bricking up stores and gates defenders. Outside defense moat, Government troops destroying houses, farms, then forbidding refugees enter city despite intense cold. Artillery firing during recent nights, apparently Government forces shooting up villages. Apparently onlv fighting to date minor skirmishes.
Very strong local Chinese revulsion against Government military, including General Fu, for bringing troops in city, senseless destruction property, seeming preparation for street fighting in center city. All Chinese civilians here want peace and nearly all talk of welcoming Communists as “liberators from so-called protectors.”
Sent Department as 487, repeated Nanking as 721, Shanghai as 664, Peiping Tsingtao.