2.
49
had again demonstrated his connexion wim Checking Covernment by drawing a red herring across the trail, in that he put up the story that the men's confessions to the Japanese gendarmerie had been obtained by torture, a statement which he had no right to make and of which he had not, and could not have any proof
they had not been tortured.
With regard to the other nine members of British
Municipal Council Police Force, they stated that for reasons
of State no evidence could be produced.
After several discussions between Herbert on the one hand
and Mr. Tanaka on the other hand the latter finally stated
that Japanese would be satisfied if Li Han Yuan were allowed to proceed on indefinite leave either to Hongkong or England, he not to be employed by British Municipal Council Police in Tientsin without prior consultation with the Japanese authorities.
In
the alternative, Japanese authorities would be satisfied if he resigned and left Tientsin.
With regard to request that the 9 other members of the Council Police force (whose names were submitted to Herbert)
should be dismissed it was finally agreed that Japanese would
be satisfied if two or three of these men were permitted to
resign, it to be left to Herbert's discretion who should go. Mr. Tanaka explained that primary idea in arranging that 2 or 3 of the more suspect members of the Council Police Force should
be relieved of the duties was to make it quite clear to the re-
maining members that they must place their professional duties
before their national sentiment and concentrate on maintaining
law and order without regard to their personal feelings.
As in the case of the four men I recommend that action be taken on above lines separately from final agreement (see my telegram No.891 last paragraph).
Addressed to Foreign Office No. 893 July 30th, repeated Shanghai No. 736, Tientsin No.216.