893.48/4105
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 7.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose68 (a) copy of excerpts from the report of the China Defence League for 1943 describing the refugee relief and resettlement work being done by this organization in the Communist-controlled areas in north China and (b) copy of a letter [Page 343] of December 7, 1943, from the Director of United China Relief at Chungking, Mr. Dwight W. Edwards, to a representative of that organization at New York, in regard to the shipment of medical supplies into those areas.
Summary. The report states that the policy of the Shensi–Kansu–Ninghsia Border Region Government has been to welcome refugees who have fled to the Border Region as a result of military operations, flood and famine, maladministration and difficult living conditions in other places. The policy has been to give these refugees the means with which to begin a new and productive life in keeping with the aim of preventing Chinese man-power from being available to the Japanese and of keeping up the war of resistance with the support of non-destitute people. Refugees are said to be given public land, living quarters and allotments of seed and implements and to be granted exemption from payment of land tax and of the grain levy for two years. It is estimated that this Border Region, with a population of less than 2,000,000, has taken in more than 100,000 during the past four years. There are said to be no beggars either in the towns or in the countryside.
In his letter Mr. Edwards explains that there is little chance of shipping medical supplies into the Communist areas, either openly or clandestinely, and that a request to the Chinese authorities for priority to ship medical supplies into China for this purpose would not only meet with a flat refusal but would also prejudice those making the request in the eyes of the authorities. End of Summary.
Although the China Defence League receives most of its support from United China Relief and it is generally known that its funds come from this source, the allotment of funds by the Coordination Committee of the Chungking office of UCR to the League is never discussed at the meetings of the Committee out of consideration of the various Chinese who are members of this Committee. The reports of the work of the League are circulated privately among the Committee members without publicity. The China Defence League is headed by Madame Sun Yat-sen and it is only through her prestige and influence that the League is able to carry on work in the Communist-controlled areas.
Other projects (mentioned in the report, which is not being copied in full because of its length) of the League in the north China areas are: pharmaceutical manufacture and training, drug cooperatives, care of war orphans, infant and maternity welfare, education, nurseries, hospitals, and a medical college.
The following note is appended to a section of the League’s report for 1943 in regard to the sources of funds and the shipment of medical supplies into the Communist-controlled areas:
“The China Defence League has been making every effort to secure money from hitherto untapped sources to reestablish the suspended 150 beds of the International Peace Hospital. A request has been [Page 344] made for US$50,000 from an unearmarked total of US$500,000 made available by the National War Relief Fund (American), through United China Relief, for emergency needs in China.
“The shipment of one ton of supplies made possible by the return of General Chow En-lai and General Lin Piao to Yenan in the summer of 1943 has already been mentioned. It was the first in three years. The ready response of relief bodies made it clear that more supplies could be shipped if a route were open. But unfortunately this was only a temporary crack in the blockade which has now again clamped shut.”
In this connection, Mr. H. C. Liang, Minister of Information, in reply to a question from a foreign newspaper correspondent at a press conference on February 16, blandly denied that the Communist areas were “blockaded” by Central Government troops and that the shipment of medical supplies into that area was prohibited. He admitted, however, that he had heard of the confiscation of medical supplies destined for this region.
The entire question of relief work in the Communist-controlled areas is inseparable from the question of Kuomintang–Communist relations. This is particularly true in regard to the shipment of medical supplies into this area as one of the greatest needs in these areas is medicines (Embassy’s despatch No. 2170 of February 16), which in turn has a bearing on the health and physical condition of the Communist armed forces. As indicated in Mr. Edwards’ letter, while many persons are sympathetic it is generally agreed that a request for permission to make medical supplies available for the area would not only be refused but would also prejudice the person making such a request in the eyes of the Chinese authorities.
It is understood, however, that the Chungking authorities have now given approval for the shipment of two trucks of medical supplies to the Shensi Border Region, action apparently taken following the questioning of foreign newspaper correspondents at the press conference on February 16 and the publicity given to the report attributing to Madame Sun Yat-sen a statement in regard to the existence of the blockade of the Communist areas.
Respectfully yours,
- Enclosures not printed.↩