CO129-580-1 Sino-Japanese War- handing over of suspected terrorists to Japanese authorities 1-5-1939 - 24-8-1939 — Page 134

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2.

lead ultimately to abandonment of Concession by us and

occupation by the Japanese. It is unpalatable to have to

give way but the Japanese are convinced of the strength of

their evidence and suspect our motives in protecting the men

and I frankly do not relish shown-down with the Japanese on

this particular issue; moreover, if, after handing over the

two mentioned in paragraph 3 of your telegram under reference,

we are later forced to hand over the four mentioned in para-

graph 2, we shall be placed in an even more undignified

position than we should be by immediate compliance.

Matter seems to me to have got to the stage of "negotia-

tion" which you propose at the end of paragraph 1. I therefore

urge most strongly that His Majesty's Consul-General should be

authorized to hand over at once, in addition to the two men

to whose surrender you agree, the four who are under

suspicion of murder, on the ground that they are avowed

members of a terrorist gang who have been abusing hospitality

of the Concession.

Addressed Foreign Office telegram No. 507 of 2nd June;

repeated to Shanghai No. 397, Fientsin No. 41.