893.00/5–745: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Hurley) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 8—8:50 a.m.]
736. Sixth Kuomintang Congress was inaugurated in Chungking on May 5th. A preliminary meeting confirmed the appointment of Wu Te-chen as Secretary General of the Congress. The Generalissimo, in his capacity as Director General, gave the opening address in which he urged the delegates to keep in mind the party’s past struggle and further to develop the party’s traditional revolutionary spirit. Following is a summary of this address based on text supplied by Central News:
Beginning of summary. In the 7 years since the calling of the Extraordinary National Kuomintang Congress, from fighting Japan alone we have come to fight Japan and Germany in alliance with all peace loving nations. In abolishing the unequal treaties we have fulfilled the hope of Sun Yat-sen. Now that the Three People’s Principles have become the common creed of the nation, early inauguration of constitutional government is necessary. Jointly with our Allies, we are working for the establishment of a national security organization.
For years the Kuomintang has encountered and surmounted all difficulties with indomitable spirit. In facing our heavy tasks ahead we must give special attention to the following three points: (1) We must increase our fighting strength, correct our past deficiencies and bring about closer cooperation between the front and the rear, the [Page 380] army and the people, and civil and military affairs. (2) We shall make plans for the inauguration of constitutional government. Have already announced that the National Assembly will be convened on November 12 for this purpose. Without constitutionalism there can be no reconstruction, and the power cannot be returned to the people. Although all the people may not yet be fully qualified for self-government, it is only through training that they can completely perform their duties. (3) We shall improve the livelihood of the people. We shall prevent capitalist monopoly, eliminate the causes of class struggle, establish social security, elevate the living and cultural standards of the people, carry out the dual policies of land equalization and control of private capital in order to eliminate monopoly and exploitation, and even before the end of the war commence material and economic reconstruction.
The welfare of the country and nation come before everything else. We must not consider of supreme importance the interests of any one party or section. The Sixth National Kuomintang Congress shall conclude our 50 years of revolution and secure a glorious future for our country. End summary.