124.932/583: Telegram
The Third Secretary of Embassy in China (Allison) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 22—7 a.m.]
65. My 54, February 12, 11 a.m. Fukui called this morning and stated he had been informed that Major General Harada would call upon Mr. Gauss this afternoon to express regrets for the violation of Embassy property at Nanking. At the same time Mr. Fukui handed me a personal letter, signed by him, stating in part, “I wish to inform you that I have made an arrangement to remit the amount of United States dollars 6796 and Chinese dollars 10118 to the American Consulate General in Shanghai through our Consulate General there”. Mr. Fukui said that he believed the payment would be made within a few days and he requested that upon my being informed of the receipt of the money by the American Consul General, I write him a personal letter acknowledging the receipt and adding, if possible, that the incident concerning the violation of the Embassy is now closed. Unless instructed to the contrary I shall give Mr. Fukui such a letter at the proper time.
With regard to the requested solatium for the family of Jenkins’ servant, Mr. Fukui repeated his former statement that the Japanese Army could not be responsible for individual acts of violence not proved to have been committed by Japanese soldiers, but he added that, because of a desire not to impair the friendly relations between the [Page 279] United States and Japan, and because the Chinese concerned was an employee of an American diplomatic officer, the Japanese Government would be pleased to make a voluntary payment of Chinese dollars 2500 to the family of the deceased. If this offer proves satisfactory to the American Minister [Government?], a check for the above amount will be handed the American Consul General in Shanghai by the Japanese Consul General there. Mr. Fukui said that no formal acknowledgment of this payment was desired and that merely a receipt signed by the Consul General in Shanghai would be sufficient.
I was requested to recommend that no publicity be given the expression of regrets by General Harada or the payment of a solatium for Embassy losses, inasmuch as it was feared that such publicity might tend to inflame public opinion in both countries. I told Mr. Fukui that I could only transmit his request without any recommendation.
Sent to Hankow, Peiping and Shanghai. Shanghai please repeat to Tokyo.