895.00/676
The Consul General at Seoul ( Miller ) to the Acting Secretary of State
[Received April 6.]
Sir: I have the honor to report that March first, the anniversary of the beginning of the independence demonstrations of last year, passed off with comparative quiet in Seoul and its neighborhood, owing to the elaborate precautions taken by the police to anticipate and promptly to check any manifestations of disturbance. There are reports in circulation of considerable agitation in other parts of the country, such as Pyeng Yang, but no definite information is as yet available.
The chief difficulty in Seoul has been with the students of some of the schools, and particularly with those of two missionary institutions,—the Methodist (South) Girls School and the Methodist (North) Boys School, the American principals of which have been dismissed by order of the Government authorities.
Some time last week the principals of all the private schools in this province were summoned to the Governor’s office and ordered to caution their students and the students’ parents against any kind of demonstration on March first, since the authorities were determined to deal very strictly with any offenders. This instruction was, I believe, generally complied with except in the case of the principal of the Methodist (South) Girls School who was under the impression that to take such action would be equivalent to interfering in political matters which she understood that she, as an American citizen, had no right to do. The general tenor of my advice to those who consulted me on the subject is indicated by the enclosed [Page 43] copy of a personal letter to Mr. Wasson, principal of the Methodist (South) School at Songdo.
On Monday morning police and educational inspectors were stationed at the various schools to observe proceedings. At the Methodist (South) Girls School, one of the girl students from the dormitory, before school opened, shouted “Mansei” and was joined by others. The police and educational inspectors immediately stepped in, shut the girls in the dormitory and proceeded to investigate. Miss B. A. Smith, was summoned to the Governor’s office and ordered to discover and expel the ringleaders in the movement. Miss Smith took the position that she was ready to proceed with the investigation and punishment of the girls insofar as their conduct was an infringement of school discipline; but that insofar as it was a political offence she felt that it was beyond her proper province as an American teacher; that, in any case, the inspectors had taken the matter out of her hands and made their own investigations; that she would abide by the results of their investigation and expel from the school any whom they indicated were guilty. This was not considered satisfactory, however, and on Thursday, (March 4) some twenty five girls were marched to the police station and examined during the day, all but six being allowed to return to their homes by night. On the same evening Miss Smith received from the Governor an official notification that her permit as principal of the school was cancelled. Her case was somewhat prejudiced by the fact that she had not warned her pupils in advance when instructed to do so.
At the Methodist (North) Boys School the course of events was somewhat different. The principal of the school, the Reverend H. D. Appenzeller, who had been in charge for only a few weeks, took the preliminary instruction of the Governor seriously and solemnly warned his students and teachers against any demonstration. On Monday morning, March first, a large majority of the boys attended school but in the afternoon they absented themselves in a body.
On the following (Tuesday) morning, the students again attended and were told by the principal that they would be punished for their breach of school discipline. During the noon recess there was shouting in the streets outside the school grounds and the boys took up the shout. There is a difference of testimony as to whether they actually shouted “Mansei”, or simply something that sounded like it. At any rate, a cordon of about fifty police closed in round the school, confined the students, principal and faculty in one of the school buildings and then for about four hours endeavored to induce or compel the principal to proceed with the investigation as to the ringleaders. Mr. Appenzeller intimated his readiness to proceed as principal of the school with the investigation and disciplining of the students [Page 44] provided the police and other authorities would withdraw and leave him free to do so; but he objected to being compelled to proceed at once with the investigation as matters stood, and insisted that inasmuch as the police and school authorities had assumed charge of the situation, his responsibility as principal was superseded and that it was for the authorities to proceed with their investigation, the results of which he would abide by and expel such students as were found guilty. Finding him unshakeable in this determination, the authorities finally proceeded with the investigation on the spot, as a result of which fourteen boys were held for further examination, the others being released about midnight. On Thursday evening Mr. Appenzeller was also formally notified of the cancellation of his permit as principal.
I have been in constant communication with the interested parties and the officials of the Government General in this matter; and while strongly insisting with the former that they should scrupulously comply with the regulations, I have emphasized with the latter the importance of a reasonable interpretation and application of the regulations. The issue has been somewhat clouded by what seems to me the misunderstanding of many of our missionaries that any action on their part in matters where political offences were concerned would be contrary to the instructions of our Government against interfering in political affairs. In the case of Mr. Appenzeller, however, the point seems clearly defined; and I am inclined to agree with his contention that when the police took physical control of the situation by placing the school and faculty under detention, the responsibility for further investigation, under those conditions, rested with the Government authorities; and that the latter were not justified in endeavoring to force Mr. Appenzeller to act, under those conditions, as an agent of the police in uncovering what they regarded as a political offence.
I fear that the action of the authorities in this matter is bound to have regrettable results; but I am using my utmost endeavor to arrive at some common understanding which will permit the work of the schools to go on unhindered.
I have [etc.]