393.1163 Seventh Day Adventist/25: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 1—7 a.m.]
427. Reverend Otto Christensen, Seventh Day Adventist Mission at Kalgan, informs me that his mission has for some years maintained activities between [sic] north of Changpei; that up until recently he has been able to maintain contact with this activity without interference from Japanese and Mongols under Japanese supervision who [Page 277] now hold Changpei and Chapsur; but that recently he encountered difficulty in trying to get from the Mongols permit to continue and enlarge the mission work to which they have hitherto been friendly. He was unable to see any one in real authority, but has heard from Mongol conversations reports which he believes to be true that the Mongols under Japanese instigation are preparing to force all foreigners out of area immediately north of Kalgan except of course Japanese. He believes that this act of exclusion will include even Larson, who is understood to be a Mongol citizen. He stated that an American named Wardell, formerly a missionary but now employed by Larson in charge of his gardens at Chapsur had been told to leave. I understand that such exclusion if carried out would affect some four Americans resident in that area.
He informed me that it has been currently reported among Mongols that the Japanese are enlisting and arming Chinese bandits for the purpose of sending them west to make trouble, and that it is these people, and the Mongol soldiers from Jehol who are being pushed into Chahar by the Japanese, [who?] only make trouble. He has visited the Japanese military mission at Kalgan and Japanese in Mongolia to obtain permits, but had been invariably informed that they, the Japanese, have nothing to do with permits in that area, although Mongols told them that they cannot issue permits without Japanese approval.
I have told Christensen whose residence is in Kalgan that I feel it would be unsafe for him and other Americans to attempt to remain in that area without permits. I have told him that there is little or nothing I can do to guarantee the continuance of his liberty to go and come in that area. I suggested to him that he give me in writing, a statement of the activities of his mission in that area, as well as a list of their properties. If and when I receive this I propose to send it to the Japanese Embassy here with a request that orders be issued to Japanese in that area to look out for and protect Americans there.