893.00/15362: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:30 p.m.]
775. 1. Sun Fo is reliably said to have made speech to Legislative Yuan April 15, substance of which is as follows:
Kuomintang has claimed for 30 years it has been carrying out political tutelage in China but actually it has assumed form of party dictatorship under name of political tutelage. Kuomintang has no right to monopoly of political activity. We have now developed from system of party dictatorship to one of personal dictatorship and while claiming to be democratic country have no democracy even inside party. If democracy cannot be established in Kuomintang headquarters at Chungking, where can it be established? Suggestions have been made that I make complaints against Government and party directly and privately. I have done this many times without effect. People accuse me of being talkative idealist but if I do not say these things no one else will and I say them for China’s sake. Unless I say these things now and unless China goes democratic now it will be too late.
2. Foregoing, together with Sun’s speeches to Central Training Corps and Youth Corps (Embassy’s despatches 2357, March 27, and 2489, April 2529), constitutes strong indictment of Kuomintang Fascist tendencies and of Party’s failure to prepare people for self government (Dr. Sun is reliably reported to have mimeographed and distributed to CEC members copies of his speech to the Youth Corps). As indication [of] effect this and American press criticism, CEC reportedly is expected to take action at special session this month toward ostensibly democratic reforms in party and Government. Action taken will probably be presented in form of high-sounding resolution intended to meet criticism but should constitute at least a step in the right direction and give encouragement and strength to liberal elements in China.
- Latter not printed.↩