893.00/7–1144
The Consul General at Kunming (Langdon) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 20.]
Sir: Referring to despatch no. 117 of May 30, 1944 to the Embassy at Chungking from the Consulate at Kweilin (a copy of which was sent to the Department) in regard to certain demands presented by the Cultural Circles Association for the Study of Constitutional Government at Kunming, I have the honor to enclose a translation of a petition97 now being circulated by that Association at Kunming requesting a reorganization of the People’s Political Council and the various local people’s assemblies and protection of freedom of thought, speech, assembly and association.
Summary of Enclosure: The petition explains that China is now confronted with two important tasks: preparation for the establishment of constitutional government on democratic foundations and preparation for the counter-attack against Japan and final victory. It is pointed out that without the existence of a democratic spirit among the people, through which their will can be expressed, military success will be difficult. It is, therefore, proposed to the Central Government that there be an immediate reorganization of the People’s Political Council and of the various local assemblies under which these public organs will represent the will of the people and will have power to legislate, impeach officials and approve budgets and that these organs include representatives of all parties. The petition also requests protection for freedom of thought, speech, assembly and association and the abolition of “all special organs” for control of thought and speech. End of Summary.
This petition was prepared by the Cultural Circles Association for the Study of Constitutional Government at Kunming and is being circulated here by the members of that Association with a view to obtaining the signatures of about 1,500 persons and subsequently forwarding the petition to the Committee for the Establishment of Constitutional Government at Chungking, organized in October, 1943 under the Supreme National Defense Council in accordance with a [Page 470] resolution adopted at the Second Session of the Third People’s Political Council in September of that year.*
The Cultural Circles Association for the Study of Constitutional Government at Kunming is said to be composed of about forty members, drawn chiefly from the faculties of the universities at Kunming, and was apparently organized in accordance with the instructions of the Committee at Chungking that such organs be established through-out free China for the study of constitutional government. The Kunming Association actually provides a cover for the activities of a group of liberals, the nucleus of which is the Federation of Chinese Democratic Parties. Under the cloak of the Association, Federation members are enabled to discuss the question of constitutional government and related matters and to present their views to the Chungking authorities as coming from an organ established in accordance with the wishes of the Central Government. While petitions, such as the enclosed document and that forwarded with Kweilin’s despatch under reference, are prepared for presentation to the Central Government and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, it is to be doubted that such documents ever reach the Generalissimo, although the latter is the Chairman of the Committee established under the Supreme National Defense Council. According to Chinese press reports at Chungking, the Committee will at some unnamed future date compile and make public the results of its discussions and the recommendations made by the various organs throughout free China now engaged in the study of constitutional government. Inclusion of the various suggestions made by the Kunming Association does not, however, seem likely.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩
- See Embassy’s Political Report for October, 1943. [Footnote in the original; report under reference not printed, but see despatch No. 1747, October 28, 1943, Foreign Relations, 1943, China, p. 367.]↩