893.00/11685
Memorandum by the Minister in China (Johnson)43
I called upon Dr. C. C. Wu44 this evening and in the course of a long conversation he informed me that up to within a few minutes of my arrival he had hoped that it was going to be possible for the Nanking and Cantonese delegates to reach an agreement satisfactory to both but he said that just a minute or two before my arrival word had come to him by telephone that President Chiang Kai-shek had made a violent denunciation of the Cantonese negotiators at the morning Memorial Service in Nanking today. He said it was difficult to understand why Chiang Kai-shek had taken this step as the Nanking delegates had left for Nanking last night and were due there at seven this morning.
Dr. Wu then proceeded at some length to outline the situation as it had developed. He said that President Chiang had sent a telegram to them at Canton offering to negotiate along three different lines. [Page 355] Of the three lines offered the Cantonese had chosen the first which was that a statement dissolving the Cantonese Government should be issued simultaneously with a statement from President Chiang Kai-shek announcing his resignation. He said that on the basis of this Canton had appointed its delegates and they had come to Shanghai and had submitted draft statements to be issued by both sides expressing on behalf of the Cantonese their readiness to dissolve their government and on behalf of Chiang Kai-shek his readiness to resign upon the dissolution of the Cantonese Government. He said that the Nanking delegates had brought to Shanghai a circular telegram signed by Chiang Kai-shek indicating his readiness to retire. Dr. Wu said that the Cantonese delegates, rather than accept his retirement at once, had suggested a delay of a few days in order that both sides might explore the situation and that then they had proceeded to the holding of meetings in the course of which they had discussed various proposals for changes in the form of government. He said that Canton’s suggestion of a postponement of the issuance of Chiang’s circular telegram had been made because the Canton delegates realized the delicacy of the situation in view of the Manchurian question and did not wish to prejudice China in the handling of the dispute with Japan. He said that the Canton delegates recognized the ability of Chiang; that they did not wish to lose his talents; that it was their proposal that he be put at the head of the military council but for some reason or other Chiang Kai-shek had changed his attitude and it was now very difficult for them to reach any agreement on the questions in dispute. He told me that it was rumored, and he intimated that the rumors came from the Nanking delegates, that the reason why Chiang had changed his attitude was because the British, American and French Ministers had expressed to Chiang their hope that he would not resign, that he would remain in the Government inasmuch as they had no confidence in the leadership from Canton. I told Dr. Wu that so far as I was concerned I could assure him that there had not been the slightest intimation on my part to Chiang or to anyone else in the Nanking Government that the American Government preferred one group to another in the matter of the establishment of a government in China. I said I thought that he knew the United States well enough to know that it would be unthinkable for its representative in China thus far to become involved in China’s domestic politics. I stated that I had discussed with members of the Government in Nanking, and particularly with President Chiang Kai-shek, the Manchurian situation and China’s policy in regard thereto; that I had given to President Chiang and to other members of the Government such information as I had regarding conditions in Manchuria and that I had transmitted [Page 356] such statements as President Chiang and other members of the Government desired to make to me in regard to China’s policy in this matter but that beyond inquiring as to the possibilities of success of the negotiations now going on between Nanking and Canton I had never discussed the matter with any member of the Nanking Government. I stated that I had found all members of the Government, from President Chiang on down, peculiarly reticent on the whole subject and I hoped he would do what he could to disabuse the minds of his colleagues of any idea that the United States Government might attempt in any way to influence Nanking in these negotiations about a purely domestic question. Dr. Wu stated that he himself had been very skeptical of the truth of these rumors but he thought it was wise to mention them to me.
Dr. Wu stated that, the delegates having arrived in Shanghai and the Cantonese delegates having decided to postpone the circulation of the telegram announcing the resignation of Chiang Kai-shek for a few days, they had proceeded to a discussion of the questions of details in connection with the formation of a new government and had been succeeding fairly well when suddenly the Cantonese had been denounced by Nanking. He was not sure just what course the negotiations would take from now on.
He stated that in the plan of government which they had under consideration it was proposed to do away with a military head of the Government and substitute therefor a civilian government with a civilian at its head. It was their desire to have this civilian a dignified Chinese of the type of Mr. Tong Shao-yi45 who would be able to represent the Government but not rule. They had in mind a position similar to that of the President of France.
They did not wish to deprive themselves of the very considerable talents of General Chiang Kai-shek. It was their proposal that he remain as head of the military commission and thus they hoped to continue to make use of his talents as a military man but they were determined to do away with a government with a military head.
As regards foreign policy, Dr. Wu stated that he wanted to tell me as one friend to another that their policy was oriented upon a basis of friendly intercourse with Great Britain and the United States due to the fact that Great Britain had predominant interests here in China and the fact that the United States had been historically friendly and always helpful to China in times of crisis. He said that there were others in the government at Canton who had theories about foreign relations but that these people would subordinate themselves and their ideas to the rule of the Party.
[Page 357]I gathered from this interview that the attitude of the Cantonese delegates was not at all friendly toward Chiang Kai-shek and that they would insist upon his relinquishing a great deal of his power before they would consent to cooperation with the members of the Government now in Nanking.