893.00/15411
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 12.]
Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s despatch no. 2607 of May 24, 1944,62 in regard to the publication in the vernacular press of a speech by Dr. Sun Fo, President of the Legislative Yuan, I have the honor to enclose a translation of a speech,62 entitled “Freedom and Organization”, delivered by Dr. Sun on April 22 before the China Insurance Association at Chungking, a copy of which was sent privately by Dr. Sun to the Counselor of Embassy.
Summary of Speech. The two functions of a constitution are to protect the people’s freedom and to define the organization of the State. There is, however, the danger of overemphasis on organization alone which in turn may easily lead to totalitarianism. China must therefore set a limit to the scope of organization. Advocates of dictatorship have charged that democratic states are less efficient than totalitarian nations and that in time of war democratic nations must suffer defeat through their inability to organize quickly. The falsity of this charge has been shown by the organization, based on freedom, carried out by democratic countries in this present total war which has demonstrated the superiority of such organization over dictatorial organization based on regimentation and denial of freedom. The British and American people “see with their own eyes” that China is not a democratic nation as our system contains features corresponding to those in a dictatorship. Chinese publicity officials referring to foreign criticism insist that foreigners do not understand the actual [Page 436] conditions in China. That is self-delusion, for there is no mystery about China and “outsiders are able to approach the problems and judge facts with a clearer mind than those intimately concerned with them.” This situation demands our close attention, for these suspicions of foreigners may develop into convictions. Secretary Hull has emphasized that free and Fascist Governments cannot exist in the same world and friendly democratic nations may lose confidence in us and even resort to measures unfavorable to us, feeling that China’s lack of basic democracy may make us dangerous. China needs political freedom and a more efficient organization for controlled economy in wartime. We should abolish the “outward form” of pretending to control a student’s thought; statements and constructive criticism on internal affairs should no longer be suppressed and censored; freedom of speech and democratic government are as essential in war as in peace. The solution of China’s problems lies within our power and we must solve our political problem before we can hope to find an economic solution. There is no contradiction between political democracy and a controlled economy through which we must solve our present financial and economic problems. End of Summary.
Dr. Sun’s recent strong criticisms of the Kuomintang and the Government have served to focus greater attention internally on the question of reforms in the Party and the Government. So long as such criticism was confined to the foreign press, Kuomintang publicity organs could and did offer the excuse that foreigners had no real knowledge of China and that the criticism was based upon Communist propaganda. Lin Yu-tang has apparently been following that “official line” in his recent speeches in the United States. Dr. Sun cannot be so easily dismissed or explained away in view of his position as the son of the “Father of the Country”.
There are signs that Dr. Sun’s criticism has had some slight tangible results. The Ta Kung Pao recently published an account of an interview by one of its reporters with the head of the local Kuomintang Headquarters in which the latter explained that for the first time officers of the Headquarters would be elected by the Party members at Chungking instead of merely being named to their posts by the Party heads. The Ta Kung Pao was subsequently required to print a statement by this Party official in which he denied that he had made such a statement, the Kuomintang apparently feeling that the announcement of the institution of such a democratic practice would be taken by the public as evidence of the accuracy of Dr. Sun’s charge that the local Party Headquarters had never had intra-Party elections. There are also reports of somewhat similar action, on a far lesser scale, at the Central Executive Committee session which opened on May 20. The Generalissimo is said to have presented to the members of the CEC a list of candidates for the presidium containing twice the number to be elected. The customary procedure is said to be the [Page 437] presentation by the Generalissimo to the CEC of a cut and dried slate of the exact number to be named. These are minor results, to be sure, but at least may be taken as straws in the wind indicating the reaction of the Party to attacks on its lack of democracy. Unfortunately there seem to be at present no indications that the Kuomintang intends to carry out any sweeping reforms along the lines suggested by Dr. Sun.
Respectfully yours,