393.1115/3589: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Lockhart) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:35 p.m.]
1186. During August this office at the request of American citizens and organizations applied to the Japanese authorities for passes to restricted areas for 101 persons, of which 46 were received. Also during August this office “chopped” 61 applications of American citizens or organizations for permits from the Japanese authorities to remove cargo and other property from Hongkew and Yangtzepoo. Many of these applications were for August permits providing for the organization concerned to remove its goods during the month in accordance with the requirements of its business. It is believed that practically all of these applications were granted as no notice of any rejection has come to the attention of this Consulate General.
The above figures cover original applications. They do not include reapplications or follow-up work.
The difficulty of obtaining personal passes for the interior, especially sections of this consular district north of the Tsung River, has increased at least temporarily. A Japanese consular official stated that as the Japanese military authorities have abolished or decreased many of their garrisons in the interior in order to utilize as many [Page 464] as possible of the available troops for the drive on Hankow, Chinese guerrillas have become very active in many parts of the interior and consequently the Japanese authorities consider such areas dangerous and are not issuing passes for travel in them.
Repeated to Peiping and Nanking, code text by mail to Tokyo.