893.00/12–748: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Cabot) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 7—7:23 a.m.]
2690. ConGen shares Dept’s misgivings re use of international police force in Shanghai for interregnum period and I agree with Dept’s thinking this connection. Navy is also decidedly unenthusiastic, estimating American forces required at minimum of 3,500 even if similar forces supplied by other nations.
British Ambassador has informed Mayor Wu that British will have nothing to do with international police force idea. British ConGen informs me that he is having some difficulty in preventing British local community from toying with idea of reviving volunteer corps to maintain order during interregnum. While sympathizing British community desire to preserve order and prevent damage to valuable British property in Shanghai, he is convinced this will result in serious embroilment.
American community would still like to see overall Marine protection in Shanghai but I have sharply discouraged such thoughts when they have been expressed.
Shanghai Power Co. officials deeply concerned at probable lack of protection for their principal plants. They predict our entire emergency plan will be seriously jeopardized if power failure occurs. They profess to believe power failure will occur in absence armed protection if general disorder prevalent.
Re Deptel 2077, December 2. I am by no means convinced any secret society (ComNavPortFac telegram 021445Z12) can maintain order in Shanghai during interregnum or that any such society has the strength to keep Communist armies out of Shanghai if they seek to enter. I feel however there are numerous possibilities for arrangements purely between Chinese which would result in peaceful turnover of city and hope that something of this nature will eventuate. We cannot of course count on this.
Senior Consul stated yesterday that he would call consular body together in certain eventualities which other members of body took to mean in event of disturbances or an imminent change in authority. [Page 363] Several Consuls including myself made reservations with regard to any political action by consular body. If Dept could give me any guidance as to what, if any, action it feels I should favor in consular body in this matter, it would be very helpful. Questions may arise whether consular body is to act as broker, mediator or guarantor in turning over city. Whether it will give help (for example, we, through ECA13) to interregnum committee or to evacuate threatened Nationalists, et cetera.
Sent Department 2690, repeated Nanking 2016.