893.00/15211
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 28.]
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1747 of October 28, 1943, in regard to the formation of the Committee for the Establishment of Constitutional Government under the Supreme National Defense Council and to report further developments in this matter.
Summary. The Committee for the Establishment of Constitutional Government was formally inaugurated on November 12 under the chairmanship of President Chiang Kai-shek who, in an address to the Committee, described its functions as consisting chiefly of making recommendations, investigations and examinations aimed at enabling the Government to carry out “constitutionalism.” The Standing Committee at its first meeting adopted by-laws providing for creation of sub-committees for the study of the draft constitution, of matters relating to organs of public opinion and of the enforcement of all laws relating to constitutional government. Government spokesmen and the Party Ministry of Information continued to emphasize the preparations being made by the Kuomintang for constitutional government after the war. Only a few minority party members attended the inaugural meeting of the Committee. It is generally believed that minority party participation in the work of the Committee will not be active, the request of the minority parties for the appointment of certain of their leaders having been refused and the hopes for any real opposition to Kuomintang domination of the Committee having apparently been abandoned. End of Summary.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Respectfully yours,