702.0093/12–3049: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (McConaughy) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 30—7:16 a. m.]
5445. ReConGentel 5442, December 29.89 At same meeting consular body it is anticipated that following matter will be brought up.
Lorenzo Lo, head of IRO organization here, has approached consular body re possibility enlisting consular support for regular commercial entry under safe-conduct of large passenger vessel such as General Gordon in February, such vessel to take out approximately 200 IRO beneficiaries now qualified for resettlement, with additional space reserved for distribution to their nationals by the respective consuls. In this project IRO is receiving active support of local representative of AJJDC.90 Asserted mining by Nationalists of approaches to Shanghai will probably render call of large passenger vessel such as General Gordon out of question and may render academic whole subject of relief by sea in near future.
It would appear that developments increasingly are pointing to necessity for establishing an avenue of entry into and exit from Shanghai by way of Tientsin and Taku Bar. Unfortunately grounds are growing for suspicion that Communists will continue to resist use of Tientsin as entry and exit point for foreigners residing in central China. Inquiry at Public Safety Bureau has elicited information that Shanghai authorities will not issue permits to leave from Tientsin to applicants Shanghai. Local authorities noncommittal re issuance of permits to proceed Tientsin and disclaim knowledge of reported 3 months’ residence requirement there. However, one permit to exit from Tientsin issued to American citizen Branning connected BOTRA as exceptional case. Motivation re Tientsin exit permits appears to be dual: (1) Desire to exert pressure on Western countries to break [Page 1364] Shanghai blockade as means for relieving their nationals caught in Shanghai, and (2) strong objections by North China Military Control Commission to entry unnecessary foreign observers into that area which they consider strategic.
Notwithstanding opposition Communist authorities to egress via Tientsin, it appears that best hope for departure foreigners stranded Shanghai is remote possibility that Communist authorities can be induced to permit them to leave via Tientsin taking special train or special cars from Shanghai which could be sealed if necessary. Department may wish to consider advisability broaching such a proposal.