893.044/7–2944: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 29—11:15 a.m.]
1314. Although party and military vernacular press has (continuing my 1313, July 29, 5 p.m. re Department’s 1000, July 24, 2 p.m.) commented favorably on promulgation of measures as “important step toward realization Constitutional Government” and “most important [Page 488] law ever enacted in China for safeguarding personal liberty”, the independent Ta Kung Pao withheld comment while liberal Chinese are sceptical of measure’s effect. One informed Chinese describes promulgation as “window dressing” by Kuomintang to placate domestic [and] foreign critics of reactionary trends; another states that loophole provided in (5) above would be utilized to negate apparent gains toward democracy in other articles.
Government spokesman stated in press conference that it was intention of Government to give those persons now in jail a fair trial but in view of absence from measures of specific reference to persons already arrested or detained without hearing and considering several thousands now being detained in “concentration camps” for political reasons who on release might cause Government considerable embarrassment, Embassy feels that effect of measures will prove slight and violations of spirit of measures will be classified as “related to military affairs”.
Translations both laws by mail.15
- Neither printed.↩