Office of the Historian

793.94/2064: Telegram

The Consul at Geneva (Gilbert) to the Secretary of State

Geneva, October 12, 1931—11 a.m.
[Received 1:05 p.m.]

183. Drummond has handed me for communication to you the following message from the Japanese Government which is being circulated to the members of Council.

“Following on anti-Japanese movement several Japanese Consulates in China particularly those situated along river Yangtze [have] been obliged evacuate towns in which established to seek refuge in safer localities. Present position as regards evacuations as follows:

1.
Japanese Consulate at Chengchow, 5 members including their families, 10 Japanese residents. Anti-Japanese movements becoming very serious. AH members of Consulate, their families and Japanese [Page 162] residents left town September 28th in order to avoid their way to refuge being cut off. They arrived at Hankow September 30th.
2.
Japanese Consulate at Yunnan[fu], 3 members including their families, 25 Japanese residents. Since beginning of incident Chinese authorities at Yunnan[fu] have seized all telegrams addressed to Japanese Consul thus causing much anxiety. In view of increasingly serious situation the Consul caused the 25 Japanese residents to evacuate the town about October 5th. They arrived at Hanoi October 7th. Minister of Foreign Affairs ordered Consul on October 7th to leave his post if necessary in order to assist the residents in refuge [at] Hanoi, after having taken necessary steps to safeguard Consulate and property left by the Japanese residents.
3.
Japanese Consulate at Chungking, 15 members including their families, 80 residents. One gunboat and a steamer are placed at disposal of Japanese refugees. Anti-Japanese movement so strong in this town that Japanese concession is in danger of being attacked by over-excited individuals. In these circumstances Minister of Foreign Affairs has ordered Consul to send residents out of town down Yangtze. Consul also [has] been authorized withdraw if necessary to Hankow with members of Consulate after collecting members of Consulate and Japanese residents at Chengtu.
4.
Consulate General at Chengtu, 5 members including their families, 5 residents. The situation at Chengtu does not at present seem sufficiently serious to warrant immediate evacuation. If these residents remained in Chengtu the Consulate and Japanese residents at Chungking would be in such a position that they could not withdraw in case of necessity. In these circumstances Minister of Foreign Affairs issued on October 7th instructions to Consul General that whole Japanese colony of Chengtu should be brought to Chungking as soon as possible so that thence the Japanese residents might take refuge down the Yangtze.”

Gilbert