893.00/13633: Telegram

The Consul General at Canton (Spiker) to the Secretary of State

Referring to my telegram of July 23, 5 p.m.,75 General Yu Han Mou, escorted by fleet of 26 Nanking airplanes, arrived in Canton yesterday and issued proclamation announcing his assumption of office as Commander-in-Chief of the Kwangtung forces, and declaring that he will use every effort to preserve peace and order. The exodus of officials of the old regime continues while Nanking’s appointees are being besieged by hordes of impoverished job hunters. Final steps in the abolition of the Southwest Political Council and the Southwest Executive [Committee] of the Kuomintang are being carried out by occupation of the whole headquarters by troops and by dismissal of many members of their staffs with payment of extra wages. Admiral Chen Chi Liang, Vice Minister of Navy, arrived in Hong Kong on the cruiser Haichow yesterday.

2. Official informant confidentially states that there was fighting yesterday in East River district near Waichow between Canton forces loyal to new Commander-in-Chief and certain units of General Li Yang Ching’s Third Army. If true, it is believed such disaffection will be speedily suppressed. Generals Li and Ho Lok (see my July 18, 11 p.m.) are being reported as having resigned and gone to Hong [Page 253] Kong. There is unconfirmed report that Pai Chung Hsi has fled from Nanning to French Indo-China and that Marshal Li will soon join him. Also that troops of former Fifty-first Division (which recently deserted Nanking command in South Kiangsi and joined Yu Han Mou prior to his departure for Nanking) have been disarmed and disbanded by Yu’s forces by this time near Lokchang whence troops were seeking to escape to Kwangsi.

3. There are persistent rumors that Nanking investigators have requested Nanking to issue warrant for arrest of Chen Chi Tang and seek his extradition from Hong Kong on a charge of embezzlement of huge sums of Government funds.

4. Sent to the Department, Peiping, Nanking, Shanghai, and Hankow.

Spiker
  1. Not printed.