893.111/461: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
Chungking, October 18, 1940—1
p.m.
[Received October 18—9:56 a.m.]
[Received October 18—9:56 a.m.]
Reference Embassy’s telegrams of February 15, 11 a.m. and August 15, 10 a.m., travel in Honan.
- 1.
- The Embassy has received a note dated October 15 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has received a telegram from certain local military authorities in Honan to the effect that a group of 15 persons including an American (believed to be named Nelson) were apprehended by the Chinese military authorities at Kutientsi, Honan, when they were crossing the river in the flooded area without identification documents; that they were permitted to proceed to Chowkiakow pending receipt of instructions from the higher authorities; and that notwithstanding the prohibition of travel by foreigners across the Yellow River and the flooded zone, the Ministry had as an accommodation instructed the authorities to permit the 15 persons to pass and to grant them interior travel visas. The Ministry emphasized however that the measures adopted in the present case could not be regarded as a precedent and asked the Embassy to inform Americans not to proceed to the closed areas in question.
- 2.
- Americans evincing a desire to travel from the occupied areas to the unoccupied areas by the Honan route should be clearly informed of the Chinese restrictions and of the impropriety and dangers of such travel.
Sent to Tientsin, Chefoo, Tsingtao, Shanghai, Hankow. Repeated to the Department. Tsingtao please mail to Tsinanfu, Shanghai please mail to Nanking.
Johnson