893.00/15158
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 29.]
Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s telegram No. 1804 of September 25, 2 p.m. in regard to the People’s Political Council, I have the honor to enclose a copy of a memorandum dated September 22, 1943,54 regarding the withdrawal of the Communist delegate from a meeting of the People’s Political Council, prepared by Second Secretary John S. Service of this Embassy who is detailed to General Stilwell’s staff. The memorandum is based upon information obtained from Communist sources.
Summary of Memorandum. During a secret session of the People’s Political council on September 21, General Ho Ying-chin, Chief of Staff and Minister of War, included in his report on military affairs a bitter tirade against the Chinese Communists, accusing them of (1) attacking Central Government troops, (2) violent propaganda against the Kuomintang and the Central Government and personal attacks against Chiang Kai-shek, (3) planting opium poppy and (4) counterfeiting Central Government banknotes. During interpellation time in accordance with fixed rules, the Communist delegate, Mr. Tung Piwu, submitted to General Ho various questions which were in the nature of a refutation of the charges. At the conclusion of the interpellations, three Kuomintang delegates gained the floor and gave support to the charges against the Communists. Mr. Tung thereupon [Page 346] requested permission to withdraw from the meeting on the grounds that it had devolved into an attack on him and his party and, following the meeting, addressed a letter to the Presidium giving his reasons for withdrawal and stating that he would not continue to take part in the People’s Political Council (General Ho did not answer the questions). The only publicity given to this incident was that in a report in the local Communist daily to the effect that the Communist delegate had withdrawn from the meeting and would not again attend. Mr. Tung states that, prior to the convening of the present session, Dr. Wang Shih-chieh, Secretary-General of the P.P.C., informed him of his strong desire that he (Tung) attend the P.P.C. session and assured him that the meetings would not be made the occasion for an attack on the Communist Party. End of summary.
Communist representatives at Chungking state that the P.P.C. subsequently sent emissaries to persuade Mr. Tung to return to the meetings but that the Communist delegate remained adamant in his decision not to participate again in the P.P.C. session.
Respectfully yours,
- Memorandum not printed.↩