This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government, and should be
returned to the Foreign Office if not required for official use.
5704/1/10).
To CHINA.
Cypher telegram to Sir A. Clark-Kerr (Shanghai).
Foreign Office, 15th June, 1939. 10.30 p.m.
No. 488.
اهه
63
64
Tokyo telegram to you No. 441 [of 13th June:
terrorists].
Tientsin
I note from your telegram No. 543 that Japanese authorities at Tientsin have rejected the Advisory Committee proposal put
58forward in my telegram No. 463.
Nevertheless, Japanese Government
68 may, as suggested in Tokyo telegram No. 555, be willing after a short interval to persuade their authorities in Tientsin to
reconsider their attitude.
58,
You should note therefore that in
They
my telegram No. 463 care was taken to avoid the term "tribunal", and that the proposal was for an Advisory Committee of three reputable persons, preferably with legal qualifications. are not intended to exercise the powers of a court of justice, but are required only to advise the Secretary of State whether in their opinion there is sufficient evidence to justify him in handing the men over for trial. In order to avoid any mis- apprehension therefore it would be better not to include pro-
fessional judges.
بردها
2. According to your telegram to Tientsin No. 174 [of 13th June] the United States Consul General has been authorised by
his Government to act as the neutral member on the Committee, though it appears from Tientsin telegram to Tokyo lio. 94 that instructions have not yet reached him. If he could be induced to accept the Chairmanship of the Committee, so much the better.
Please repeat by air mail saving to Tokyo.