Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, The Far East, Volume V

893.00B/1118

The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State ⁶

No. 45

Chungking, June 25, 1941.
[Received July 21.]

Sir:

1. I have the honor to transmit, as of probable interest to the Department, copies in translation⁷ of three selected editorials which recently appeared in the Chungking edition of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao, daily news organ of the Chinese Communist Party, touching on various aspects of American policy. These articles were published, of course, before the advent of the German attack on Soviet Russia.

2. Representative of the editorial policy hitherto consistently pursued by this communist daily, these articles describe the present European conflict as an “Imperialist war”, praise the Soviet Union as the only true peace-loving country and therefore the defender of the rights of the masses, proclaim that Great Britain and the United States as the leaders of one imperialist group opposing another imperialist group headed by Germany merely wish to utilize China’s resistance to Japan to the full in carrying out their own ends, and claim that Japan is conducting a “dual military and political offensive” against China in an endeavor to destroy the latter. One editorial is devoted to a commentary on the sympathetic attitude of the American workman toward China which is attributed to the “guidance of the American Communist Party”; while another deals critically with the alleged procrastination of the American Government in meeting the desire of American public opinion to put an end to shipments of oil and other commodities to Japan.

3. The Hsin Hua Jih Pao commenced publication at Hankow in February 1938; publication was resumed at Chungking late in 1938 after the fall of Hankow. Another edition of this newspaper is reported to be published in Shansi. The circulation is believed to be not extensive. The newspaper, first published as a four-page edition, is now only a two-page journal excepting Sundays when it consists of four pages. There is virtually no advertising in this newspaper. Therefore, in the absence of a large paid subscription and extensive advertising, it appears that the Hsin Hua Jih Pao is incurring a large deficit. This deficit, it would appear, is made up by the Chinese Communist Party.

4. The Hsin Hua Jih Pao, as published in Chungking, is of course subject to Government censorship. This censorship has apparently prevented the publication of manifestos of the Chinese Communist Party or of utterances of prominent Chinese communist leaders; undoubtedly, censorship restrictions have also resulted in some toning down of the editorial comment of the organ which at times is inclined to be unrestrained, especially in reference to the policies followed by certain foreign Powers. Care is exercised for the most part in the discussion of controversial internal questions since these are of course subject to the close scrutiny of the censors.

5. It may be appropriate here to summarize briefly the general attitude of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao as reflected by its editorial comment. First, the newspaper is a whole-hearted supporter of the Soviet Union and that country’s internal and external policy. The despatches of Tass, the official Russian News service, are given prominent space in the journal, as are special articles devoted to developments in the Soviet Union and to prominent Russian personalities such as Lenin and Gorky. No opportunity is lost to mention the friendship of the Soviet Union for the toiling Chinese masses nor the support that China has received from the Soviet Union since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese conflict. Russia is constantly described in the editorial columns of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao as the one peaceful, non-imperialistic Power which remains today the buttress and the protector of the rights of the working classes. In the face of such events as the Russo-Finnish conflict, the Russian absorption of the Baltic States and Bessarabia, the conclusion of the non-aggression pact with Germany⁸ and the neutrality pact with Japan in 1941, it was the consistent policy of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao to follow the official Russian explanation: namely, to assert that these actions were taken to liberate the oppressed peoples and to extend the scope of the Russian policy of peace.

6. The editorial policy of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao has been openly and severely critical of Great Britain which is frequently described as attempting to retain hegemony of the world in the face of the German onslaught. British domination and control of the Indian and other peoples is a frequent subject of comment; the concept that England is a democracy is rejected in the face of the alleged plight of the English workman and of the burden of the oppressed colonial peoples. With respect to the Far East, British policy toward Japan has come in for scathing denunciation, being described as a policy of appeasement of Japan at the expense of China in order to salvage British Far Eastern interests.

The attitude of the Hsin Hua Jih Pao toward Germany, extremely violent and critical before the conclusion of the Russo-German pact in August 1939, suddenly became tempered. Germany thereafter came to be described as nothing more than another imperialist Power struggling with the Anglo-American bloc for world control. Italy was, of course, classed in the same category.

7. As regards the United States, the Hsin Hua Jih Pao may be said to have adopted a more critical attitude toward that country and its policies than any other newspaper supporting the Chinese Government. Nevertheless, excepting the Soviet Union, the comment of the communist journal vis-à-vis the United States appears to have been less sharp and carping than toward the other great Powers. In general, the United States is described as gradually adopting a policy of intervention in an imperialist war on the side of Great Britain; of endeavoring to play off China against Japan while engaged in the greater task of eliminating Nazi Germany as a major threat to American security. In this connection, the Hsin Hua Jih Pao has suggested on several occasions that the United States is not above sacrificing China’s interests in order to achieve the greater mission of crushing Germany. But perhaps the greatest criticism leveled at the United States by this communist periodical is the failure of the United States to put an end to the sale of certain commodities to Japan. It would appear that the professed grievances of this communist journal against the United States are aired primarily with a view to endeavoring to portray by contrast the wise, just, benevolent and sympathetic attitude of Soviet Russia toward China.

8. In its domestic commentary, the Hsin Hua Jih Pao emphasizes the usual Chinese communist tenets: democracy, mass mobilization of the people, maintenance of the “United Front”, a strictly controlled economy, eradication of “pro-Japanese elements”, continuation of resistance to Japan, et cetera. There is often implied in such commentaries criticism of the National Government though such criticism must be very guarded in character to pass the censor. However, when consideration is had of the strained relations which have existed between the Government and the Chinese communists during the past year, it is remarkable that the Hsin Hua Jih Pao has found it possible to carry on its publication activities with the freedom that it continues to enjoy.

Respectfully yours,

C. E. Gauss

6. Drafted by the Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Drumright).
7. None printed.
8. Signed at Moscow, August 28, 1939, Department of State, Nazi-Soviet Relations, 1939–1941, pp. 76–78.