Office of the Historian

893.00/14862: Telegram

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

Chungking, July 30, 1942—3 p.m.
[Received July 30—2:20 p.m.]

888. National Government on July 27 announced list of the 240 members of the Third People’s Political Council, 105 of whom were elected by various provincial and municipal assemblies, 59 jointly nominated by provincial governments and provincial Kuomintang headquarters, 8 selected from Mongols and Tibetans, 8 from overseas Chinese and 60 appointed by the Supreme National Defense Council from Chinese leaders in various professions. Seventeen provinces represented in new Council. Communist Party represented by 6 members, including Mao Tse-tung but attendance unlikely.

The People’s Political Council is not a legislative body and its meetings unfortunately result only in the issuance of manifestos and recommendations which, although usually constructive, have little practical effect. Despatch follows.26

Gauss
  1. No. 559, August 3, not printed.↩