893.102S/1587: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 10—4:45 p.m.]
50. Reference my No. 15, January 5, 9 a.m., regarding Japanese demands on the Municipal Council. In a letter to the Senior Consul the Italian Consul General agrees completely with the Japanese point of view that the responsibility of administration and police in the International Settlement should be shared equally among the principally interested powers including Italy which has on every occasion shared with the Americans, British and Japanese the burden and heavy expense of defending foreign life and property in the Settlement. He states that while some of the recent incidents at Shanghai have been directed against Italian military posts he agrees that it would have been physically impossible for the police to prevent them but he feels sure that the gradual addition of Japanese and Italian elements in the Municipal Administration and police on the same footing as Americans and British will increase efficiency and insure a better and safer evacuation [sic] of the International Settlement.
- 2.
- Minor cases of friction between the Japanese troops and British police and troops are continuing and of course offer opportunity for a serious clash at any time. It is reported that the Japanese troops show marked antipathy toward the British coupled with allegations of a friendly disposition toward Americans.
- 3.
- A small bomb is reported to have been thrown at an Italian military post this morning. No details are available but no casualties are reported.
Repeated to Hankow and Peiping.