CHINA MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued Date and number Subject Page 1929 Dec. 10 (1119) Dec. 11 Dec. 12 (1130) From the Chargé in China (tel.) From Shanghai, December 9: Decision of Consul General to reply to inquiries by stating that conditions throughout China are unsettled and that, while he knows of no concrete instance that would justify advising withdrawal from Soochow and Wusih to Shanghai, he dislikes to accept the responsibility of being the authority for the retaining at those places of women and children. To the British Ambassador Information, in response to inquiry regarding measures contemplated or taken for the protection of American nationals in China, that it is U. S. policy to evacuate citizens from places of danger to places where they may be adequately protected and that no steps have been taken to add materially to the armed forces in China; memorandum showing distribution of U. S. land and naval forces in China (text printed). From the Chargé in China (tel.) From Nanking, December 11: Intention of evacuating Consulate and withdrawing all Americans in the event of an emergency. To Nanking: Approval of plan; repetition to Department of Consul's telegram and Legation's reply, and information to the commander in chief. (Footnote: Approval by Department in telegram No. 412 of December 12, of plan for evacuation of Consulate and withdrawal of Americans.) 495 496 497 Dec. 13 From the Consul General at Canton (tel.) 498 Absence of intimation of reopening of navigation on West River; departure of British gunboat for Wuchow with food for foreigners. 498 Dec. 14 (1147) Dec. 14 From the Chargé in China (tel.) From Shanghai, December 11: Desire for approval of communication from the Consulate General to the senior American naval officer at Shanghai (text printed) suggesting that a naval vessel be anchored in front of the Shanghai Power Co. as a precautionary measure, particularly since the passing of that company to American ownership transfers the responsibility of protecting the light and power from an international to a singlepower responsibility. From Shanghai, December 12: Observation that proposed berthing would not be unusual, as warships have frequently anchored there even during normal times. Information that the commander in chief is being advised and that the Chargé concurs in the views of the Consul General. Memorandum by the Assistant Secretary of State Conversation with the Japanese Ambassador concerning British inquiries to both the U. S. and Japanese Governments as to measures contemplated for the protection of nationals in the present crisis in China. 499 CHINA MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UNITED STATES FOR THE PROTECTION OF AMERICAN LIVES AND PROPERTY IN CHINA-Continued Date and number Subject Page 1929 Dec. 18 (419) Dec. 19 To the Chargé in China (tel.) Information that Department does not disapprove the suggestion that an American naval vessel be anchored near the Shanghai Power Co., but believes that the duty of protecting this plant, along with other properties within the Settlement, rests first and primarily upon the Administration of the Settlement. From the Consul General at Canton (tel.) 500 500 Occupation of Wuchow by Cantonese forces and reopening of Dec. 23 (1181) Dec. 27 (L-890) Dec. 30 (434) Dec. 30 (L-891) From the Chargé in China (tel.) The Charge's interpretation of the meaning of the comments contained in telegram of December 11 from the Consul General at Shanghai. Telegram from the commander in chief (text printed), stating that he informed the Consul General that it would be inadvisable to establish a precedent that the Navy was primarily responsible for protection of public works as such, and is of opinion that the matter is broader than the question of protection of American property. Comments by the Charge and opinion that nature of action should depend upon character of the emergency; inquiry whether to repeat Department's telegram No. 419, December 18, to Shanghai. From the Consul General at Hankow to the Chargé in China Information that the Consul General has protested to the local Commissioner of Foreign Affairs against bandit attack on Standard Oil Co. vessel Mei Yun, and against the firing upon the Chi Ping and I Ping as reported in telegram from the Guam, December 19 (text printed), and that no reply has been received to either protest. To the Chargé in China (tel.) Instructions to repeat Department's telegram No. 419 of From the Consul General at Hankow to the Chargé in China Transmittal of letter from Bishop O'Shea in which he charges that the National Government has done little in south Kiangsi to justify its declarations to protect foreign lives and property, requests that the Government be informed that his mission will make claim for damages to its property, and further requests that the Government be urged to send reinforcements to south Kiangsi. 501 503 503 504 1929 Apr. 27 (34) Apr. 29 (35) Apr. 30 (330) May 3 (37) From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.) To Peking: Information that Fathers Walter Coveyou, To Peking: Understanding that the mission at Chenki has Repetition to Nanking of Hankow's telegrams of April 27 From the Consul General at Hankow (tel.) Details of the murder of the three missionaries and arrangements for their burial; request that head of the religious organization be notified. (Repeated to Peking. Footnote: Information from the Minister, in telegram No. 350, May 4, that telegram was repeated to Nanking with instructions to make immediate representations to Foreign Ministry, and that Hankow Consulate General is to renew representations to Ho Chien.) From Hankow, May 11: Report from Ho Chien that two bandits have been arrested and that the search is being continued for the remainder. May 13 (379) From the Minister in China (tel.) May 19 (402) July 19 Aug. 12 (1320) Aug. 16 (835) From the Minister in China (tel.) From Hankow, May 18: Execution of five persons implicated in the murder, retention of suspects, and continuation of search for other guilty parties. (Footnote: Repetition to the Department by the Minister, From the Consul General at Hankow to the Chinese Commissioner Receipt of information that Chen Tsu-ming has been To the Minister in China Opinion that facts now in the Department's possession Transmittal of copy of letter from the American Consul Page 504 505 505 505 506 506 507 508 509 CHINA Murder of THREE AMERICAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES BY CHINESE BANDITS-Continued Date and number 1929 Sept. 13 (L-828) Oct. 17 (L-854) Nov. 30 (932) Subject From the Consul General at Hankow to the Minister in China From the Consul General at Hankow to the Minister in China Understanding that Chen Tsu-ming and Mao Chi-ying are From the American Chargé in China to the Chinese Minister Request that stringent orders be issued to Ho Chien to (Footnote: Receipt by the Department in May 1930 of reports that Chen Tsu-ming was alive and continuing bandit activities; report in April 1931 that he had been received into the Chinese Army. Page DUAL NATIONALITY OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS OF CHINESE DESCENT 1929 May 17 (6178) July 16 (576) July 30 (652) From the Consul General at Shanghai Request for instructions as to further course of action to be followed regarding the case of W. Y. Char, an American citizen of Chinese race, upon whom the Provisional Court imposed a three months' sentence, and who was released by police authorities of the International Settlement at request of the Legation. From the Minister in China (tel.) From Shanghai, July 12: Information that Mr. Char was arrested in the Chinese-administered area and the Chinese authorities refused to release him, apparently intending to compel him to serve the three months' sentence; request that Department be informed and/or protest filed with Foreign Minister. From Shanghai, July 15: Suggestion that Foreign Minister be requested to instruct Chinese authorities at Shanghai to release Mr. Char on security, pending settlement of his citizenship status. Request for telegraphic instructions. From the Minister in China (tel.) From Shanghai, July 29: Recommendation for early action on the Char matter in view of the important principle involved. Request for instructions. 510 511 512 513 516 517 CHINA DUAL NATIONALITY OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS OF CHINESE DESCENT-Con. Date and number Subject Page To the Minister in China (tel.) Opinion that facts in the case, while not legally sufficient to effect Mr. Char's expatriation, warrant and justify U. S. Government's refusal to intervene in his behalf as an American citizen; instructions that the Legation and Consulate General should take no action to effect Mr. Char's release from custody of Chinese authorities; nonobjection, however, to participation of the Consul General in possible protest by consular body on the ground of alleged violation of the Mixed Court Rendition Agreement. From the Minister in China (tel.) From Shanghai, September 12: Intention of informing Com- Information that the Minister replied, approving this view. From Shanghai: Advice that Fong Koon Look, an Ameri- Information that the case of Dr. T. C. Lieu in Shanghai is somewhat similar to the Char case but different in that Dr. Lieu has never identified himself with the Chinese Government or emphasized his Chinese citizenship. Request for instructions. To the Minister in China (tel.) Instructions to accord Mr. Fong and Dr. Lieu the protection prescribed by extraterritoriality provisions, if it is true that they were born on American soil, are registered at the Shanghai Consulate General as American citizens, and have done nothing to emphasize their Chinese citizenship. From the Consul General at Shanghai to the Minister in China Information that Chinese authorities contend that Mr. Fong is a Chinese citizen because he has failed to secure a denaturalization certificate; observation that he cannot secure a denaturalization certificate so long as he is the defendant in a civil suit and has a judgment outstanding against him. Opinion that agreement should be reached with the Foreign Ministry in regard to the status of persons of dual nationality. Suggestion that all persons now registered at consulates or who register in the future might be advised to secure denaturalization certificates. To the Chargé in China Instructions to inform consular officers not to encourage American citizens of Chinese race to apply for denaturalization certificates but merely, if it becomes advisable to discuss the subject, to invite their attention to the applicable provisions of the Nationality Law. 518 518 519 520 520 521 |