NO DISTRIBUTION.
164
Decypher.
Sir A. Clark err (Chungking)
17th May, 1939.
D.
W/T
19th May, 1939.
R.
9.30 a.m.
19th May, 1939.
No. 45 TOUR.
IMPORTANT.
Following for Mr. Howe.
I am sorry to have to refer this matter to you again but I
am in a difficulty and I need your fearless guidance on these
lines; 3 grps. undec.] telegrams I have been compelled to
concentrate upon considerations of justice and fair play which
must, in my view, be the overruling consideration of reaching a
decent solution of the immediate problem of disposing of
present cases.
The question of our policy in China and of our future
relations with Chinese is of course a factor the importance of
which cannot be ignored.
At the same time I need not say I appreciate as fully as do
Consul-General and community at Tientsin the gravity of counter-
vailing considerations relating to security of the concession and
its inhabitants.
It is evident that Chinese have been taking unfair advantage
of concession and have compromised its neutrality. The local
Japanese military authorities feel that so far we have failed to
handle the situation fairly from their point of view. There is
clearly a grave risk that if they cannot be persuaded of sincerity
of our intentions they may take the law into their own hands with
results