Office of the Historian

893.001/184: Telegram

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

Chungking, September 9, 1943—noon.
[Received September 10—9:32 a.m.]

1664. Embassy’s 1648, September 7th.

1.
From what we have been told by a number of competent sources the principal program of the present C.E.C. session appears to be taking shape along lines as follows: [Page 328]
(a)
Chiang Kai-shek will assume the Presidency and that office will be given actual and extensive powers, thus legalizing the personal powers which Chiang now exercises. For example, the President is to be Commander in Chief of the armed forces (as Chiang actually now is); is to select and appoint his own government, including the presidents of the Yuan, Government Ministers (a power which Chiang now exercises within the limits of the necessity of maintaining balance between cliques, et cetera); is to have powers of veto; is to hold tenure of office for 5 years, may serve 3 terms and may hold other posts concurrently. These changes are said to have been devised by the Cheng Hsueh Hsi (Political Science Group) to reduce the influence of the group which is reportedly looked upon with disfavor by Mme. Chiang since her return because of criticism she heard in the United States of the Fascist trend of the latter’s policies. While the purpose of the change is thus in part to meet American criticism that the Chinese Government is undemocratic it seems clear that the proposed powers to be given Chiang will actually constitute a legalized dictatorship.
Reportedly, some of the changes are not to be announced by the C.E.C. but in order to give them the appearance of popular support will be made the subject of resolutions to be passed by the P.P.C. scheduled to meet September 15.
(b)
Other changes under consideration but not as yet definitely determined upon as the above are said to include establishment of a Cabinet with a Prime Minister and appointment of H. H. Kung to that post.
(c)
The Communists will be offered acceptance into the Chinese political family as a legalized minority party provided they give up their armies and border governments and if as is expected they do not acquiesce in this almost complete sacrifice of their present power they will be publicly branded as bandits and rebels in the hope that the United States and rest of the world will so regard them. In support of the Government’s position an extensive campaign is to be undertaken to publicize the alleged crimes of the Communists (recent articles and reports in the Chinese press indicate that this campaign already [is] under way).
2.
There is now in Chungking a large number of provincial chairmen and high military commanders, including chairmen of Sinkiang and Yunnan. The probable primary reason for their presence is to give an appearance of support and unanimity to the elevation of the Generalissimo to the new post of “President with Power.” Inclusion of practically all of the anti-Communist commanders may indicate that possible measures against the Communists in case of contingency will be a principal topic for military discussion. There will probably also be discussions regarding policy in the border regions and in dealing with agrarian disturbances.
Atcheson