893.91A/6–1644
The Ambassador in China (Gauss) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a letter of June 1, 1944,5 addressed by Mr. Floyd Taylor, American Journalist sent by the Department for service with the Chinese Ministry of Information, to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, at the request of the latter, presenting Mr. Taylor’s observations on Chinese publicity work. The Generalissimo made his request during a call made by Mr. Taylor in the company of Dr. Hollington K. Tong, Vice Minister of Information, shortly before Mr. Taylor’s departure for the United States in early June.
Summary. Mr. Taylor explains that he offers his observations and suggestions from a standpoint of his knowledge of American newspapers and the reactions of the American public, although his lack of any thorough knowledge of Chinese problems has made him reluctant to do so. From a long range point of view the treatment of China by the American press will depend upon China’s political development and the attitude of the American press will be almost unanimously friendly if it is obvious that China is progressing in the direction of democracy and the realization of the San Min Chu I. For Chinese officials to assume that articles critical of China in the American press are solely the product of leftists is a grave mistake and action based upon such an assumption might lead to unsatisfactory results. Criticism of China has appeared in extremely conservative American publications and many conservative Americans have a profound and abiding belief in academic freedom as well as freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. [Page 108] As a result of the stringent Chinese censorship American journalists have been developing an increasing tendency to treat news from China with skepticism. Consequently some of the articles critical of China have been written by men who are not as well acquainted with China as American correspondents in Chungking, who could have written critical articles on the same subjects with more understanding of the situation but for the censorship. Another factor affecting American writers dealing with China is their belief that democracy cannot exist in a country which has stringent censorship. Chinese publicity abroad suffers from governmental action on questions affecting foreign opinion taken without consulting Chinese who are familiar with the press and public opinion in western countries. End of Summary.
The Embassy is of the opinion that Mr. Taylor’s letter is both discreetly written and sound in content and should not give offense to the Chinese authorities. It was written at the request of the Generalissimo and is prefaced, in the traditional Chinese style, with the appropriate humility contained in his statement that he is “hesitant to give you my suggestions in view of my lack of any deep or thorough knowledge of the problems of China”. Because of the letter’s frankness and directness, however, it is doubtful that the whole of it will ever reach the Generalissimo.
Respectfully yours,
- Not printed.↩