393.1163Am33/145: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 7—1:25 p.m.]
475. Reference Shanghai’s No. 753, June 1, 10 p.m., 1938,80 regarding American Southern Baptist Mission property at Shanghai. The American Mission has complained to me that on June 5th at about noon a Japanese military officer accompanied by a Chinese interpreter entered upon the mission premises and ordered the Chinese caretaker to lower the American flags flying over the property and that the repairs being made thereto shall cease.
As there was no American living on the premises I today sent an officer of my staff to investigate and he ascertained from the Chinese [Page 336] caretaker that according to the Chinese interpreter the Japanese in question came from the city government. He assigned no reason for the orders he gave. I instructed that the American flags be again raised over the property.
I have informed the Japanese Consul General of the incident and of my action as set out above and stated that as the “city government” is a regime set up by and under control of the Japanese military authorities I must ask that the Japanese in question be identified and disciplined for his unlawful action, that there must be no further interference with this or any other American property, and that precise and definite instructions be issued that the American flag be respected and that under no circumstances shall any Japanese person order that it be lowered. I added that the incident has been reported to the American Government.
Repeated to Tokyo, Peiping.