of Staff is said to have told Dr. Ling that a Japanese landing party would be resisted with force. Press reports today stated that several Japanese war vessels are en route to Pakhoi and the gunboat Saga is evidently remaining off that port. Japanese Consul in charge [at] Canton, however, stated that so far as he is aware only the Saga is in the vicinity of Pakhoi. Special delegate for Foreign Affairs told Japanese Consul that the Chinese authorities had taken all possible steps to get the Nineteenth Route Army out of Pakhoi but it is not known here whether they are leaving. It does not appear that any further investigation will be undertaken by the local authorities until the Nineteenth Route Army has left Pakhoi. Sent to the Department, Peiping, Nanking. LINNELL 894.001H61/109a: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Japan (Dickover) WASHINGTON, September 16, 1936-6 p. m. 119. 1. On September 14 the Japanese Embassy informally brought to the attention of the Department the intention of a radical organization known as "American Friends of the Chinese People" to hold in New York on September 17, a mock trial of the Emperor of Japan for "crimes committed against China" and on September 18 an anti-Japanese demonstration. 2. There being no Federal statute which would afford warrant for intervention by the Federal Government, an officer of the Department yesterday proceeded to New York to consult with the municipal authorities. The municipal authorities after careful consideration expressed the opinion that they also had no basis in law for taking action to prevent the carrying out of the plans above mentioned, and that any informal action on their part directed toward persuading those responsible for the plans to abandon their projects would not accomplish the desired end and would only be seized upon as a means of obtaining further publicity. 3. Please orally and informally convey the substance of the foregoing to the Foreign Office. You should add that we do not anticipate that the meetings will attract sufficient attention to make likely any violence, but that every precaution is being taken to protect the persons and property of Japanese nationals in New York against any threatened violence which might arise. 4. Please emphasize to the Foreign Office that the Department is treating as confidential the approach made to it by the Japanese Embassy. 5. It is desired that you express your personal view that it is a matter for regret whenever any incident arises calculated to give offense to a friendly nation. 6. A statement along the foregoing lines is being made orally to the Japanese Embassy in response to the initiative taken by that Embassy mentioned in paragraph 1 above. HULL 793.94/8150: Telegram The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State NANKING, September 17, 1936-9 a. m. [Received September 17-6:30 a. m.] 267. My 266, September 16, 11 a. m. 1. Kawagoe made yesterday afternoon his second call on Chang Chun and is reliably reported to have asked, under instructions from Tokyo, that prompt measures be taken by the Chinese authorities to enable the Japanese investigators sent to Pakhoi to carry out their mission. The Foreign Minister is said to have promised to telegraph the Kwangtung authorities and to have asked that the Japanese be patient. It is stated that no other questions were discussed. 2. To Department and Peiping. 793.94/8153: Telegram PECK The Consul at Hankow (Jarvis) to the Secretary of State HANKOW, September 17, 1936-4 p. m. [Received September 17-1:33 p. m.] My September 9, 5 p. m. The departure down river yesterday of three Japanese gunboats reduced Japanese naval strength at Hankow to three vessels. There is now only one Japanese gunboat at Chungking. 2. A meeting of Japanese residents of Hankow, on September 14th, was addressed by Seto, the Hankow Japanese injured at Chengtu, and Watari and Nakatsu, the resident Japanese naval and military officers. The meeting was orderly and the speeches were earnest and patriotic but not provocative. Both officials referred to the Pakhoi as well as the Chengtu incident. 3. The Pacification Commissioner and the Governor of Hupeh issued yesterday a joint proclamation, quoting instructions from Chiang Kai Shek, warning against disturbances and enjoining the protection of foreigners and the strict maintenance of order. Sent to the Department, Peiping, Nanking. By cable to Shanghai. JARVIS 894.001H61/110: Telegram The Chargé in Japan (Dickover) to the Secretary of State TOKYO, September 17, 1936-5 p. m. [Received September 17-8:43 a. m.] 187. Department's 119, September 16, 6 p. m. Department's instructions carried out today. The Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs in reply said that he appreciated the interest of the Department in the matter, that he realized that the Department was doing everything possible under our laws but that he hoped that something could be done to prevent the news agencies from telegraphing the story of the mock trial to Japan as no feeling would be aroused here if the story could be kept out of the Japanese newspapers. He also said that such action would defeat the aims of the "American Friends of the Chinese People" which organization depended upon publicity for its existence.3 DICKOVER 793.94/8151: Telegram The Chargé in Japan (Dickover) to the Secretary of State TOKYO, September 17, 1936-6 p. m. [Received September 17-8:55 a. m.] 188. Embassy's 186, September 15, 5 p. m. In an informal conversation with me today the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that "it appeared that" the Japanese defense forces had been bringing pressure on the Foreign Office to compel that office to make strong demands on China in connection with the Chengtu and Pakhoi incidents; that the situation was quiet at the moment as Kawagoe was conducting negotiations in Nanking and the 19th Route Army was reported in the press as evacuating Pakhoi; but that if the diplomatic negotiations "failed to bear fruit" the pressure from the Japanese defense forces might be renewed. Repeated to Peiping. DICKOVER 711.0012 Anti-War/1511a: Telegram The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Japan (Grew) * WASHINGTON, September 17, 1936-6 p.m. 120. In an article appearing in the New York Times today, a Washington correspondent of that paper referred to the statement made in The Department's instruction No. 1112, October 1, to the Embassy in Japan stated that at the meeting on September 17 "the proceedings did not include a mock trial of the Emperor of Japan." (894.001H61/112) A similar message was sent on the same date to the Embassy in China as telegram No. 225. the Secretary's speech at New York, September 15,5 to the effect that the Kellogg Pact had been greatly impaired and the correspondent made the deduction that this statement forecast abandonment by this Government of the non-recognition principle. At the press conference today the Secretary stated in substance, in response to a question, that in his New York address he referred to the fact that the KelloggBriand Pact on account of disregard by a number of countries had been seriously impaired. The Secretary further stated that there was no purpose in mind to suggest the idea that because international treaties in many instances had been violated this Government would abandon such treaty relations or abandon the policy of entering into international agreements; that on the contrary he sought in the most effective way possible to keep alive and perpetuate the doctrine of the Kellogg Pact. See Radio Bulletin of September 17. 793.94/8154: Telegram HULL The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State NANKING, September 17, 1936-8 p. m. [Received September 17-4: 18 p. m.] 271. Our 267, September 17, 9 a. m. 1. An officer of the Embassy has been informed by an official of the Japanese Embassy that Chiang Kai Shek this morning ordered Yu Han Mou's army to proceed to Pakhoi and that it is believed therefore that the Japanese investigators will shortly be enabled to land at that place and investigate the murder of September 3. 2. To the Department and Peiping. Repeated to Canton. PECK 893.01 Manchuria/1377 6 Report by the Military Attaché in China (Stilwell) ® G-2 Report No. 9462 [PEIPING,] September 18, 1936. On Saturday, August 29, 1936, the Military Attaché interviewed Mr. Ohashi, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Manchoukuo, at Hsinking. Among other questions on similar lines, Mr. Ohashi was asked his opinion on the following matters, and replied as indicated: Q. Is banditry in Manchoukuo now under control? A. Banditry is still a serious question in Manchoukuo. All along the eastern and north-eastern borders, in the difficult wooded and mountainous country there, groups of bandits exist under a com For text of speech, see Department of State, Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941, p. 333. Copy transmitted to the Department by the War Department; received October 28. munist organization. They are hard to get at on account of the nature of the country, and they are supplied with arms and ammunition by Russia. They even have Russian instructors, and follow Russian tactics when in action. As long as this support is available to them, they will be a menace, although their numbers are not large. Perhaps 20,000 would be an ample estimate, although we have no definite information. Banditry will probably be a serious matter in this region for some years. Elsewhere, it is well under control. Q. Can the Manchoukuo Army now handle the bandit question, or must the Japanese Army assist in combating it? A. The Manchoukuo Army is not yet in condition to do it alone. Perhaps after five years or so they may be able to. Q. In your opinion does Russia still hope to expand farther in the Orient? A. Most certainly. Everything that has happened goes to prove it. Stalin calls himself an Asiatic. Europe offers no such easy road to expansion as does Asia, and the communist party has definitely decided to expand toward the east. Already the center of gravity of Russian industry is being moved east of the Urals. The Tashkent railway has been finished, and feeders for it are reaching out toward Sinkiang. The colonization and industrialization of Siberia are proceeding at a rapid pace. The trans-Siberian railway is now doubletracked throughout. The Siberian garrison has been heavily reinforced and large quantities of stores accumulated for it. Soviet influence has been extended over Outer Mongolia. Great secrecy is maintained east of Lake Baikal,-no one is allowed to see anything. The Russians are so unreasonable about such things that when I went to Khabarovsk and Chita recently, General Blücher refused to see me at all. Of course the Russians intend to expand farther,what do you imagine motivated the Chinese revolution in 1926? The Russian Bear wants to disrupt Manchoukuo, and if that should come to pass, then Korea would go too, and Japan, defeated, would have a revolution. This situation is extremely critical for Japan. We must unite the nation. We are all that stands between Russia and her goal of the sovietization of Asia; Manchoukuo gone and Japan defeated, China would fall an easy victim. Japan now faces a terrible crisis,in the next five years I expect to see this matter decided one way or the other. Cannot the world see how Japan simply must go to the limit of her strength to defend Manchoukuo in order to save herself as well as China from communism? Q. Do you believe there is now any determined effort being made by Russia to extend communism in the Far East? A. Certainly. The Russian Communist Party has some under |