761.93/1763: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Gauss ) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 12—1:59 p.m.]
643. Situation re Sinkiang incident is still confused (Embassy’s 631, April 11, and previous). Quo Tai-chi26 has told Atcheson that two divisions Central Government troops being sent to Sinkiang for purpose, in his opinion, of increasing Central Government control and will result in elimination Sheng Shih-tsai which Quo considers essential to development of good Sino-Soviet relations. He said any other purpose would be highly foolhardy at this time; that there are, of course, some hotheads who for sake of Chinese face want to make a show of “Defending Chinese rights” but he thought wiser counsels were prevailing. He intimated that he had been proposing that Sun Fo, an ardent protagonist for improvement of Sino-Soviet relations and for sincere and wholehearted collaboration with Russia, should go to Moscow as special Ambassador to see what could be done toward bringing the two countries together.
T. V. Soong told us last night in casual conversation that border difficulties were continuing and if Central Government troops were being sent to Sinkiang it was a precaution to prevent a coup and to support provincial troops against Kazaks who, after being driven out of Sinkiang, had come back to attack. We mentioned Secretary Hull’s timely reference in his radio address April 927 to necessity of collaboration between the Four Powers and when Soong asked if there was any connection between that reference and Sinkiang situation I replied that Secretary had cabled to us the portion of the speech in question whereas remainder came to us through OWI28 and the press (incidentally Soong expressed his gratification at the Secretary’s address).