793.94/3462: Telegram
The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6 p.m.]
40. Legation’s 35, January 7, 8 p.m.16 Following from American Consul General at Harbin: [Page 17]
“January 7, noon.
- 1.
- Conditions at Harbin yesterday and last night quiet with fewer police patrolling the streets.
- 2.
- Latest reports indicate that situation Manchuria Station, Hailar and Tsitsihar fairly normal except that business is very bad in these places.
- 3.
- Yesterday at 11 a.m. General Ma crossed the frozen Sungari by motor car and proceeded to the residence of General Chang Ching-hui, where he had a conference with the latter lasting 3 hours. It is believed that they discussed matters relative to General Ma’s return to Tsitsihar to maintain peace and order upon which the few Japanese soldiers there would be withdrawn. General Ma recrossed the Sungari and left Sungpuchen for Hailun at 4 p.m.
- 4.
- General Chang Ching-hui left Harbin for Tsitsihar at 5:20 p.m. yesterday ostensibly to examine into conditions there but probably to proclaim the independence of Heilungkiang Province. Chinese press reports that he will return to Harbin on the 9th. A prominent Chinese official of the Chinese Eastern Railway informed me last night that he believed Chang would soon proceed to Mukden and there together with Hsi Chia, Chang Kuan of Kirin Province, and Tsang Shih-y, Chang Kuan of Fengtien Province, declare the three provinces united and agree upon a head official for Manchuria, perhaps Chang Tso-hsiang, Chang Ching-hui or the ex-Emperor Pu Yi. It is my opinion that the moves of these officials are being directed by the Japanese military.
- 5.
- A letter dated January 5th received from a reliable American at Manchuria Station states that he had a report from one of his employees who had just returned from Siberia to the effect that the barracks in Siberia which were full of troops at the time of the Russo-Chinese conflict 2 years ago are empty, but that the Soviet officials were nearly all prepared for war with Japan, that all officers born in 1898 had been called out for a second term, that at Chita the Red command had taken over several freight-car loads of winter boots originally intended for sale in China and that huge amounts of dry bread were being accumulated in warehouses.
It is my opinion that Soviet officials are not contemplating an offensive war but are afraid that the Japanese might attempt to invade Siberia. Soviet officials here fear that Mo Te-hui, president, and Li Shao-ken, vice president, of the Chinese Eastern Railway will be replaced by pro-Japanese Chinese who will attempt gradually to lessen Soviet influence in the railway.”