893.00/11687: Telegram
The Consul General at Nanking (Peck) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 22—2:40 p.m.]
131. 1. The Fourth Central Executive Committee held opening ceremonies this morning and a preparatory session this afternoon. I am reliably informed that the only appointment definitely decided is [Page 702] that of Sun Fo98 to be President of the Executive Yuan. Under the proposed changes in the organic law of the National Government he will be substantially Prime Minister and will nominate the heads of the various ministries. Presumably C. C. Wu will be Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Office of President of the National Government will be divested of actual authority.
2. Earlier report of the departure of General Chiang Kai-shek was erroneous but he and Wellington Koo both left Nanking today and the National Government has practically ceased to function having surrendered its responsibility to the Central Executive Committee. Resignation of Soong, Minister of Finance, has not been accepted but he is in Shanghai apparently indifferent to the course of events. Nevertheless, just before the resignation of Chiang Kai-shek on December 15th three of the latter’s military adherents were appointed to head the Provincial Governments of Kiangsu, Chekiang and Kiangsi and it seems certain that Chiang and Soong can take effective military control of the Nanking-Shanghai area whenever they desire to exercise it.
3. The National Government is considered unable to deal with a crisis like the impending Japanese attack on Chinchow. The conviction seems universal, however, that neither Chang Hsueh-liang nor any Central Government could survive the popular opposition which would be aroused by a proposal to surrender that area without fighting.
Legation informed.
- Son of the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen, leader of the Kuomintang and the Nationalist movement in China.↩