Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1939, The Far East, Volume III

893.00/14294: Telegram

The Chargé in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State

Chungking, January 2, 1939—9 a.m.
[Received January 2—8 a.m.]

2. Semiofficial Central News in release dated January 1, midnight, stated that:

“Wang Ching Wei, Deputy Tsungtsai² of the Kuomintang, was expelled for life from the party and deprived of all his posts according to a decision reached at an emergency meeting of the standing committee of the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang held today. The decision was taken on the ground of Wang’s desertion of the important post entrusted to him and his betrayal of the public confidence placed in him amidst the critical period of the war of resistance and his issuance of a statement in Hong Kong on December 29 suing for peace with Japan on the basis of Premier Konoye’s declaration³—in conclusion the decision emphatically declared that the national policy shall be based on Generalissimo’s⁴ speech of December 26⁵ and urged the entire people to work in unison accordingly for the fulfillment of the mission of national liberation and reconstruction along the lines of Three People[’s] Principles.”

Repeated to Peiping and to Shanghai for Tokyo by mail.

Peck

2. Leader.
3. For text of declaration by the Japanese Prime Minister, see Foreign Relations, Japan, 1931–1941, vol. i, p. 482.
4. Chiang Kai-shek, leader (Director General) of the Kuomintang; Chairman, People’s Political Council.
5. For a report on this speech, see telegram No. 622, December 27, 1938, 10 a.m., from the Chargé in China, Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. iii, p. 436.