123 Ward, Angus I.: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Bacon) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 5—12:54 p. m.]
2538. Re Peiping telegram 1212, December 2, sent Department 2156 [December 1]. Embassy agrees story should not be broken until Mukden personnel safely outside China. Facts case so shocking demand fullest treatment by way warning American citizens. Embassy recommends Department not only release story to press and foreign governments, but also prepare full blow-by-blow story based complete interrogation all Mukden personnel [in] Japan and including Communist official version and “judgment”. Emphasis should be Ward and codefendants never fully informed charges until trial finished, never allowed full freedom present own cause or question any witnesses, not allowed introduce witnesses or retain counsel. Such judicial spectacle not only betrays truth behind Communists’ show-trials all over world (since were dealing with persons they did not hope force into false confessions, they simply prevented them from preparing and presenting case), but also indicates China has retrogressed into legal barbarity which originally necessitated extra-territoriality. Lack most elementary safeguards persons in toils of police particularly [Page 1040] hazardous, view Communist disregard any facts but those they create and in view anti-foreign sentiment they industriously produce and nourish.
Embassy believes complete story should be circulated soonest by China posts to all Americans, to all representatives other nations here, to press all complexions and to all responsible Communist representatives.
Department pass Peiping, Shanghai, Tientsin in discretion.