explanation and defense of the Japanese position. He requested that this letter be communicated to the President and members of the Council and drew attention to the fact that the entire information covering the period from September 18 to 21 was derived from official sources.

"On the night of September 18th, about 10:30 p. m., a Chinese detachment of some 350 men blew up part of the main line of the South Manchuria Railway north of Mukden at a point southwest of the Chinese barracks at Peitaying. This detachment led by its officers was proceeding in the direction of Lungkouchen, between Peitaying and Mukden, when it was discovered by a railway guard patrol which endeavored to stop it but, failing, was obliged to open fire. A battle ensued in which a company of the Japanese garrison of Mukden took part.

In view of the gravity of the possible consequences of such an incident in present circumstances and the disproportion between the Chinese and Japanese forces, the Japanese headquarters at Mukden promptly took such steps as it considered indispensable. At 2:30 a. m. it had the Chinese barracks occupied and the troops who were stationed [there] disarmed; subsequently the open town, the official buildings and the arsenal were occupied.

Immediately upon receiving notice of the incident the troops stationed at Tiehling, Kaiyuan, Ssupingkai and Liaoyang concentrated at Mukden; and the Kwantung staff proceeded in haste to that town at noon on September 19th.

On receiving news of the clash the guards stationed along the South Manchuria Railway took the precautions to protect the track and the safety of Japanese nationals and to deal with any possible attack by the large Chinese forces in Mukden.

At Changchun a Japanese was sent on September 19 to the Chinese troops stationed in the neighborhood of the town at Kwangchengtze and Nanling, to arrange for their disarmament, but the Chinese offered strong resistance to the Japanese troops who had 60 killed and 96 wounded. The garrison of Changchun however was disarmed without incident about noon on the same day.

On the 20th similar measures were taken at Antung, Fenghuangcheng and Yingkow; various strategic points in the neighborhood of the railway zone were occupied. The customs offices at Antung, Yingkow, etc., were carefully respected.

In the places mentioned, order is being maintained in cooperation with the Chinese, and at Mukden the Chinese municipal police are continuing to discharge their duties under the direction of the Japanese authorities.

In places outside the railway zone the Japanese consuls have applied to the local authorities to provide for the protection of our nationals. As, however, Japanese subjects have suffered serious maltreatment at Kirin, the Japanese detachment has proceeded to that town but has [orders] to return to its garrison in a day or two as soon as calm has been restored.

We have been able so far to ensure the complete safety of foreigners resident in the area under Japanese control. In view, however, of the disquieting situation caused by the presence of undisciplined bands and the attitude of the population in looser [certain] areas, the small

587122-46-VOL. III- -11

forces at our disposal have not been thought sufficient to provide effective protection for the railway lines and for Japanese and foreign residents and the Thirty Ninth Army Corps (4,000 men) was sent to Manchuria from Korea on September 21st.["]

[Paraphrase.] Confidential information given me is that League members who are not represented on the Council plan to pass a resolution, probably when the Assembly holds its next plenary session, to indorse the Council's action. This plan is intended to be a gesture of support for the Council and of emphasis of the world-wide concern which is felt. [End paraphrase.]

GILBERT

793.94/1939

Memorandum by Mr. Ransford S. Miller of the Division of Far Eastern Affairs

[WASHINGTON,] September 23, 1931. Mr. Kato, of the Japanese Embassy, called with a copy of the Japanese text of a telegram from the Japanese Foreign Office which Mr. Kato said was the first full account of the Manchurian situation that the Embassy had received.

Mr. Kato gave a running translation, in English, of the Japanese text, the contents of which appeared to be identical with the text of the letter addressed by the Japanese representative on the Council to the Secretary General of the League of Nations, as reported in Mr. Gilbert's telegram No. 133, of September 23, 8 p. m.

Mr. Kato intimated that he felt that the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs was having a very hard time in a very difficult situation and that the sympathies of the Embassy here were with Baron Shidehara in the circumstances in which he found himself placed.

Mr. Kato added that Ambassador Debuchi would delay his intended departure for Japan for a couple of weeks.

793.94/1942

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Nanking to the Chinese Legation 1

61

[NANKING,] September 23, 1931. With reference to the charge made by Japanese that our soldiers attempted to destroy a bridge of the South Manchurian Railway, the Superintendent's office of the Peining (Peiping-Mukden) Railway

Copy of telegram handed by the Chinese Chargé to the Secretary of State, September 28.

reports that on the night of the 18th Japanese troops started the trouble by blowing up the Liu River bridge of the South Manchurian Railway and afterwards scattered dead bodies of our soldiers nearby so as to fasten the blame upon us for the destruction of the bridge.

The fact is that before destroying the bridge the Japanese had built a siding around this spot so that there would be no interruption in the running of trains. There was on the bridge a signal tower from which a strict watch was always kept.

This mode of manufacturing evidence defeats its own ends.

793.94/1857: Telegram

The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

PEIPING, September 24, 1931-8 a. m. [Received September 24-6:38 a. m.]

640. Reuter report from Nanking, 23d:

"Government spokesman here characterizes as groundless reports from Tokyo that China had proposed a joint Sino-Japanese commission to investigate the Manchurian affair and Mr. Yoshizawa's similar allegation at Geneva.

This afternoon Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang telegraphed to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek denying reports of Soviet troop movements on the border but adding that the Soviet Consul at Harbin had made representations to Japanese Consul there that Japanese military movements were hindering operation of Chinese Eastern Railway. News of League's action regarding Manchuria was very welcome here and had calming effect where anti-Japanese feeling was threatening to get out of hand. Mass meeting here this morning of 100,000 people demanded that Government should immediately mobilize. Japanese community here was evacuated to Shanghai this morning."

JOHNSON

793.94/1922

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

[WASHINGTON,] September 24, 1931. The Japanese Ambassador called today, evidently due to a misunderstanding, to ask whether I had finished my note to Japan and to China. I told him that I had not yet finished the note. It was left so that if I finished it this morning I was to let him know by telephone before one o'clock, and if I did not it would go over until tomorrow morning, as I found that he was rather anxious to get out of town for the afternoon.

The Ambassador brought with him a clipping of the article of Hugh Byas in the New York Times of this morning and pointed out

Byas' statement denying that the Japanese had begun any advance on Harbin. The Ambassador said he had officially confirmed this denial; that no such advance had been made. In reference to the occupation of Kirin, he said that only a few soldiers were left there; that the rest of them had withdrawn. He said he thought that the Japanese Government were beginning to withdraw their forces and he hoped to have definite news for me very soon.

H[ENRY] L. S[TIMSON]

793.94/1924

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

[WASHINGTON,] September 24, 1931.

During the call of the Japanese Ambassador I told him that I had received word from the Radio Corporation of America as to the destruction at Mukden on September 19th of the radio station which they had built for the Chinese Government. I explained to him that the Radio Corporation regarded this as an important link in their chain of communication with the Orient and that its destruction had made a very unfortunate impression to the effect that the Japanese were trying to cut off communication with Manchuria. I told him that until that radio station was replaced this unfortunate suspicion would be likely to continue. He told me he would communicate with his government and let me know.

H[ENRY] L. S[TIMSON]

793.94/1863 : Telegram

The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

PEIPING, September 24, 1931-10 a. m. [Received 1:30 p. m.]

642. Following from American Consul General at Mukden:

"September 23, 2 p. m. Japanese reenforcements from Korea went through Mukden yesterday afternoon for Changchun where the chief concentration of reenforcements troops is taking place. A traveler reports seeing Japanese police at the first Chinese Eastern Railway station north of Changchun. It is believed that Japanese forces are preparing to move on Harbin. According to a report, reliable, Chengchiatun, Tungliao and Taonan have been occupied by Japanese forces. Japanese aircraft flew over Hsinmin and Taipingshan yesterday and it is reported dropped bombs on barracks at latter place. Also reliably informed that only one body of troops from Korea has been sent to Chientao region. On the Mukden-Kirin Railway only Japanese military trains are operating."

JOHNSON

793.94/1860: Telegram

The Minister in Switzerland (Wilson) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

GENEVA, September 24, 1931-1 p. m. [Received September 24-11:30 a. m.]

159. Department's 123, September 23, 4 p. m. Great satisfaction was caused by the message to the Council President.

I have talked about your ideas to Sir Eric Drummond. He desires me particularly to make clear to you that as proposed by Lord Cecil in the secret Council meeting last night (which I mentioned by telephone to you last night) the contemplated commission, with Japan and China to name two neutrals each and the Council to name three, is intended merely as a fact-finding body. So contradictory have been the reports received regarding the numbers and present locations of Japanese troops that the Council has felt it essential to obtain the actual facts in this connection. Most narrow terms of reference would be given the commission. Drummond asks whether you would agree to an American member of the commission being nominated in the event of the proposal being accepted by Japan.

The correspondent of the New York Times obtained somewhere a fairly correct summary of my discussion last night with Drummond, and this morning I cautioned Drummond lest such publicity injure the confidential relations between him and you, so desirable now in this crisis. He will stress in the small committee the need to preserve the confidential nature of any communication which I may informally make to him respecting your views.

WILSON

793.94/1865 : Telegram

The Ambassador in Great Britain (Dawes) to the Secretary of State

[Paraphrase]

LONDON, September 24, 1931-4 p. m. [Received September 24-12: 35 p. m.]

385. I called on Lord Reading in order to get information on the Manchurian situation for you. He said that at Lord Cecil's suggestion by telephone from Geneva he cabled a message to the Japanese Government to supplement the communication already dispatched by the League; he said that France, Germany, and Italy had done likewise. Reading's own impression, based upon official information, is that the situation now is less disquieting, the disturbance being at "British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.