893.102S/2157: Telegram
The Consul at Shanghai (Butrick) to the Secretary of State
[Received 1:25 p.m.]
735. My 696, July 25, 6 p.m. Terrorism in Shanghai. The following resolution was approved by the Consular Body at a meeting which adjourned at 6 p.m., yesterday:
“That the Shanghai Consular Body, considering that acts of terrorism are contrary to humanity and the cause of civilization, and haying witnessed highly tragic effects of such acts in Shanghai, places on record its utter condemnation of any and every form of terrorism by whomsoever perpetrated and taking note of the actual situation in the Shanghai area urges the Shanghai Municipal Council to take full consideration of the situation in the Shanghai area, and do its utmost [to] maintain peace and order in the International Settlement by eradicating and suppressing all forms of terrorism.”
The above is an amendment of a resolution presented by the Japanese Consul General reading as follows:
“That the Shanghai Consular Body, considering that the acts of terrorism are contrary to the humanity and cause of civilization, and having witnessed the highly tragic effects of such acts in Shanghai, places on record its utter condemnation of any and every form of terrorism by whomsoever perpetrated, and with that view in mind, and especially taking note of the present situation in which the area around Shanghai is under the Japanese occupation and is under the jurisdiction of the Chinese National Government recently restored at Nanking, urge the Shanghai Municipal Council to do its utmost, taking full cognizance of the above situation, to maintain peace and order in the International Settlement by eradicating and suppressing the existence and activities within the Settlement of any organization, agent or element under the influence of the Chungking Government.”
As on the occasion of the previous meeting, the Japanese authorities’ version of the meeting has been given to the press, presumably by the Japanese Consul General, and presumably for the purpose of impressing upon the populace that the Japanese are really the persons exercising [Page 760] the controlling force in Shanghai. An attempt is made in the press report to give political significance to the resolution by stating that at the meeting the Japanese Consul General stressed that the words “actual situation” meant that Shanghai and its surrounding areas were under Japanese occupation and were under the jurisdiction of the Nanking government, and that an objection made to this interpretation was later withdrawn. In fact I stated at the meeting that I could not approve any resolution having a political significance and it was with this in mind that the various changes in the original Japanese resolution were made.
Here again there may be noted the apparent policy of the Japanese to further a contention that Shanghai is under military occupation by the Japanese. This would seem to be in direct conflict with the American position as expressed in the aide-mémoire to the Japanese Government delivered by American Ambassador on May 18, 1939.15
I respectfully suggest that the concept of the Settlement stated in that aide-mémoire might be reiterated at a press conference or otherwise by the Department.
Sent the Department. Repeated to Chungking and Peiping. Code text by air mail to Tokyo.