893.00/3–245: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Chargé in China (Atcheson)
381. Embassy’s 343 March 2. The following is Acting Secretary Grew’s statement of March 3 in regard to President Chiang’s announcement of the summoning of a National Assembly in November.
“President Chiang Kai-shek’s statement of March 1, announcing that a National Assembly to inaugurate a constitutional government may be convened on November 12 of this year, comes at a time when we are all vitally interested in the achievement of political and military unity in China. The statement throws light upon the National Government’s negotiations with the Chinese Communists and indicates that the trend in China is toward political unity and democratic government.
The current year will no doubt witness military developments in China of decisive importance. In my statement of January 2329 I said that ‘we earnestly desire the development of a strong and united China.’ President Chiang’s statement offers hope of future unity as a consequence of the promised National Assembly meeting in November, and we may hope that, during the interim period, agreement among the Chinese may be reached for a unified military effort to meet the crucial situation in the months to come.”
[Here follows summary of a radio broadcast on March 1 by commentator Raymond Gram Swing.]