811.015394/33: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in China (Johnson)
75. Shanghai’s 257, February 14, 8 p.m.; Tokyo’s 107, February 15, 7 p.m.; Nanking’s 57, February 15, noon. In order to expedite a local settlement of various of the issues which have arisen at Nanking upon which there is substantial agreement, and in view of the disagreement in regard to the adequacy of the evidence in the case under reference, the Department is prepared, provided that regret is expressed over violation of American Embassy property and assurances are given that there will be no repetition thereof, to accept the provisional expression of regret covering the desecration of the American flag in accordance with the formula proposed in Shanghai’s and Tokyo’s telegrams under reference.
The Department realizes the difficulty of obtaining evidence in regard to desecration of the American flag additional to that which Nanking has already furnished to the Japanese authorities, but in view of the statement contained in Nanking’s 22, January 14, 9 a.m. that the Americans reporting cases of such desecration have expressed a willingness to make sworn affidavits, the Department suggests that Allison endeavor to obtain such affidavits and furnish them and other evidence to the Japanese authorities as a basis for their investigations.
Please instruct Nanking and Shanghai in accordance with the foregoing and repeat to Tokyo.