893.00/15414: Airgram
The Consul at Kweilin (Ringwalt) to the Ambassador in China (Gauss)53
A–15. The following account of recent political maneuvers of the Cheng Hsueh Hsi, or Political Science Clique, was related to this Consulate by a recent arrival from Chungking:
Among the delegates comprising the Sino-British Goodwill Mission which toured England recently were several members of the Political Science Clique, including Mr. Wang Shih-chieh, former Minister of Information, and Mr. Hu Cheng-chih, General Manager of the Ta Kung Pao. While they were in Great Britain, they received a cable from the Political Science Clique asking them to return to China via the United States in order to make a survey of American public opinion. Soon after their arrival they became aware how widespread was the conviction in America that the Kuomintang–Communist stalemate was hampering the war effort in China, and that the sooner the differences between the two parties were adjusted the better. After deliberation, it was decided that political capital could be made out of this situation, and that it would be well for the Political Science Clique to identify itself, in the United States as well as in China, with any program looking toward a Kuomintang–Communist [Page 429] understanding. Mr. Hu Cheng-chih, rather than Mr. Wang Shih-chieh, was detailed to broach the subject to the President of the United States in the thought that the President would talk more freely to Hu, the journalist, than to Wang, the politician. Whether Hu was successful in obtaining a statement from the President is not known, but it seems that he has quoted the President as favoring a Kuomintang–Communist rapprochement.
On the return of Wang and Hu to Chungking, the Political Science Clique, which is perhaps the most astute, if not the most scrupulous, political group participating in the Government, began openly to advocate Kuomintang–Communist cooperation, if only as a price to be paid for continued American favor. In so doing, they have placed the Generalissimo in a very embarrassing situation. If, under pressure, he settles his differences with the Communist Party, the Political Science Clique will claim, and perhaps receive, a large share of the credit, and will gain enhanced prestige at the expense of the Generalissimo; if, on the other hand, he continues to refuse to compromise with the Communists, he is liable to forfeit American support.
As indicative of the present interest of the Political Science Clique in the Communist problem, it should be noted that it was Wang Shihchieh who was selected to go to Sian to welcome the Communist delegate, Lin Tsu-han, and to escort him back to Chungking.
- Copy transmitted to the Department; received about June 9.↩