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The Minister in China (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 8—5:25 a.m.]
313. Following from Kuo Wen News Agency, Loyang, March 6th:
“General Chiang Kai-shek was elected chairman of the Military Council at this afternoon’s meeting of the Central Political Council. Marshal Yen Hsi-shan, Marshal Feng Yu-hsiang, General Li Chung-jen, Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang, General Chen Chi-tang, General Li Lieh-chun and General Chen Ming-shu were appointed members of the Council.
In view of the decision of the second plenary session of the Kuomintang to alter the regulations of the Military Council so that the chairman of the Council shall concurrently hold the post of commander in chief of the National Land, Naval [and] Air Forces, the appointment of General Chiang means reinstatement in the position which he held before his retirement last December.
Speaking at today’s closing exercises of the second plenary session of the Kuomintang, Mr. Wang Ching-wei, chairman of the Executive Yuan of the National Government, sounded a warning to those who prefer to indulge in criticism of the Government at this moment of national crisis instead of coming out to offer their services to the country. The greatest mission of this session is to consolidate the government in China, Mr. Wang concluded.
The manifesto of the session to the country says that the imperative task of the moment is to resist foreign aggression. For this purpose all the armed forces in the country should be determined to carry out a prolonged struggle against Japan. Anyone who tries to shirk this responsibility shall be denounced by the whole nation.
The manifesto then makes the significant statement that whatever policy the Government will adopt in regard to the diplomatic crisis will be based on the welfare of the people and will not be framed to meet the exigency of the domestic situation.[”]