793.94/11458: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 5—6:50 a.m.]
1090. Reference my 1086, December 4, 4 p.m. Shanghai Municipal Council released statement to the press last evening that no agreement was entered into on night of December 3d by the Commissioner of Police and Japanese military representatives, that a document was drawn up by Japanese officers setting out the points made by Japanese military representative in conversation he had with the Commissioner, [Page 761] that the Commissioner emphasized he had no authority to enter into any agreement and in order to make it clear that the document did not purport to be an agreement he indorsed it to the effect that he had read and understood the document and would bring its contents to the notice of the Council, and that the Commissioner of Police emphasized that he could make no agreement with regard to the passage of Japanese troops through the International Settlement.
The press release adds that the Council desires it to be known that its representatives had previous to the parade stressed to the Japanese authorities the inadvisability of holding such a parade at the present time.
The statement concludes that the Council has made a full report to the Senior Consul of the occurrences which took place on December 3d.
Repeated to Tokyo.