793.94/11486: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
Shanghai, December 6, 1937—6
p.m.
[Received December 6—2:40 p.m.]
[Received December 6—2:40 p.m.]
1097. Reference my number 1086, December 4, 4 p.m. and your 615, December 5, 2 p.m.
- 1.
- Interested Consuls met this afternoon with the Senior Consul who stated that immediately upon receipt of the letter from the Municipal Council he saw the Japanese Consul General who assured him that the Japanese wish to consider the whole incident closed and he should “take no notice” of the memorandum of Colonel Kusumoto. Italian Consul General stated he is told by the Japanese Consul General that the latter had succeeded in persuading the military to drop the memorandum and that it may be considered “null and void”.
- 2.
- I pointed out that the memorandum having been reported to us officially must be regarded seriously until we are definitely assured that it is withdrawn with the assent of the military. It was finally agreed that the Senior Consul should communicate to the Japanese Consul General by memorandum the pertinent portions of the letter from the Chairman of the Municipal Council and invite the Japanese Consul General to meet with his interested colleagues to consider the matter when the Japanese Consul General will have an opportunity to make any declaration of withdrawal of the memorandum on behalf of the military and such declaration may be recorded in the minutes. This will leave the interested Consuls free to take further action if deemed necessary. The Japanese Consul General has always shown complete willingness to meet with his colleagues and it is anticipated that he will be willing to do so to discuss this matter.
Repeated to Tokyo.
Gauss