893.102S/1918: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 22—6 a.m.]
925. I have received a letter from Cornell Franklin “as the American Chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Council”, directing my attention to the incident reported in my No. 924, October 21, 2 p.m. reviewing the situation in the western area at Shanghai, and concluding as follows:
“The Americans in this area rightfully look to the Council for protection of their lives and property and as the Council unaided cannot give this protection I appeal to the American Government for assistance.”
The letter also states:
“Under the situation which has now developed I am fearful for the safety of American lives and property in the area defined. It is within the British sector of the defense scheme, but for political or other reasons the Commanding Officer of the British forces in Shanghai has informed the Council that his forces will only be used in support of the municipal police in the event of the life of a British subject being endangered. Without additional support from some other armed force the Council’s police are unable to maintain law and order and to furnish adequate protection to American lives and property.”
I regard the letter principally as a move to induce the American forces to come to the aid of the British forces in the British sector in continuation of the attempts made in that direction as reported in previous telegrams.
I am calling on my Japanese colleague late this afternoon to emphasize the seriousness with which we view the situation in the western area and, our representations made on October 4th, to inquire from him if anything is being done by the Japanese authority in the matter. I shall tell him that the situation is rapidly developing to the point where we shall have to give serious consideration to a request to the American forces for measures for the protection of American nationals.
Repeated to Tokyo, Chungking and Peiping.