CO129-563-12 Sino-Japanese War- evacuation of refugees from China 15-8-1937 - 4-1-1938 — Page 86

46

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.

85

FROM CHINA

Decode. Mr. Howe (Shanghai).

13th September, 1937.

(By Wireless) 14th September, 1937.

Do

14th September, 1937.

Re

10.00 p.m.

No. 107. (R).

Shanghai telegram No. 60 to Nanking.

Consuls at seaside resorts are being pressed to permit return

of women and children on holiday previous to emergency arising cut of evacuees, a certain number of whom are coming to the end of their

resources. Consul-General at Tsingtao telegraphed September 10th that refusal to permit return of women and children to Shanghai was becoming untenable and he suggested removal of restrictions.

2. Matter was considered on September 11th at meeting with

naval and military authorities and Consul-General. Commander-in-Chief

in giving his appreciation of present military situation expressed the

opinion that while it was highly desirable to evacuate women and

children last month it is even more necessary to prevent their return

now owing to unexpected slowness in situation reaching stability and

that date when it will be safe for them to return seems to be more distant than was thought originally although situation may change rapidly at any moment by retirement of Chinese. Brigadier concurs

generally in this view.

3. Any relaxation of restrictions, however partial and meant to

cover hard cases only, would probably lead to wholesale return of

women here, and as stated above military situation does not justify

this in the opinion of the Commander-in-Chief. But if Consuls are to continue to advise women and children not to return it would help to

have...