893.102 Tientsin/683: Telegram
The Consul at Tientsin (Fletcher) to the Secretary of State
[Received 2:07 p.m.]
92. My 80, May 24, 5 p.m.31 Barrier situation remains unchanged. Indiscriminate search of personal effects of Americans continues undiminished and my written representations to the Japanese Consulate General on May 10 and May 29 requesting that arrangements be made without delay to provide for the unrestricted passage of all Americans and their baggage through the barriers have not been answered or even acknowledged.
The acting Japanese Consul General yesterday informed me that instructions had been received from the Foreign Office, based on Ambassador Grew’s representations, to eliminate such inspection, that the Consulate General was doing all it could in the matter, but that the authority of “civilians” to effect the change was definitely limited.
The acting Japanese Consul General also expressed confidence [hope?] that we have a little more patience.
Repeated to Chungking, Peiping, text by air mail to Tokyo.
- Not printed.↩