893.01 Provisional/95: Telegram
The Consul General at Shanghai ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 28—12:03 p.m.]
465. My 403, March 16, 5 p.m. The “Reformed Government of the Republic of China” was formally inaugurated at Nanking at 10 a.m. this morning. Representatives of General Hata and Admiral Hasegawa were present and in addition to felicitating the new Government upon its inauguration indicated that they would give it strong support.
A long manifesto issued by the “Reformed Government of the Republic of China” was distributed in Shanghai this morning. The manifesto takes the National Government severely to task for driving “an untrained populace to fight in an unequal combat” and charges that the policy of “scorched earth spells national suicide and in affiliating with the Communists they have invited robbers into our home”. The manifesto continues: “though still keeping up the pretense of a government in their refuge in Szechuan, Hupeh and Hunan, they have forfeited their authority and virtually lost their power of control. The record of the misdeeds perpetrated by this defunct administration is indeed unequalled in the long annals of the history of China. Impelled by feelings of righteous indignation in consideration of the urgency of saving the country from ruin, in view of the necessity of discarding the old regime and starting anew with the citizens of the Republic, the undersigned and their associates do hereby proclaim on this the 28th day of March the Reformed Government of the Republic of China in Nanking and that its primary duty is to restore the territorial sovereignty of the Republic as it existed prior to the outbreak of hostilities. In pursuing this aim negotiations will be started to restore the ties of amity and to end the deplorable strife between neighboring states whose peoples are of the same race. On the other hand the friendly relations happily existing between this country and the European and American powers will be maintained and upheld.”
The manifesto states further that inasmuch us the “Reformed Government is founded on the realities of the prevailing situation in the provinces of Kiangsu, Chekiang and others it is therefore temporary in nature and is established without any intention of contending with the administration of the Provisional Government. Functions pertaining to a central government which cannot be delegated will continue to be performed by the Provisional Government in consultation with the Reformed Government. As soon as communications are restored on the Tsinpu and Lunghai railways the Reformed Government [Page 131] will amalgamate itself with the Provisional Government. It is not our desire to have two rival governments functioning within the country.”
The manifesto is signed by Liang Hung Chih, Wen Tsung Yao and others mentioned in my 403, March 16, 5 p.m. The new Government is to be headed by Liang Hung Chih at least for the time being, it is reported locally. The inauguration of the new regime at Nanking has thus far created little stir locally. Two small demonstrations organized by the so-called “Great Way Government” took place this morning in the extra-Settlement roads area and West Hongkew respectively while a Japanese plane scattered leaflets.
Repeated to Hankow and Peiping.