121.893/1–1547: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 15—8:29 a.m.]
75. Following is the official Central News [Agency] report on President Chiang’s comments on General Marshall’s statement given at weekly memorial service, January 13:
“Prior to his departure for the United States, General George C. Marshall made some remarks as a supplement to President Truman’s statement on the United States Policy in China issued at the end of last year. Many people have asked for my views as to his remarks. As different people have looked at things from different angles, there have already been many misinterpretations. I think we must read his remarks together with President Truman’s statement in order to grasp the whole picture. We cannot say that the judgment he has passed on us is unfair. But, if we read General Marshall’s comments alone or without reference to President Truman’s message, we are bound to get misunderstanding. Comrades, I want to draw your attention particularly to the first paragraph of General Marshall’s comment. In it he has clearly mentioned ‘I should supplement this (President Truman’s statement) with impressions gained at first hand.’ My views cannot be said to be completely identical with those of General Marshall. But in view of his mission and his own position, in making such a report to the American people, he may be said to be frank, impartial, sincere, and friendly; and the statement is a very constructive one. As to all the criticisms he directed against our party and the Government in his statement, I have always borne in mind his mission and his traditional friendship for China. During his 1-year stay here, he has gone through all sorts of pains in helping China achieve peace and unity. Moreover, he has devotedly and eagerly hoped that China will become a powerful democratic country. This is the point that we should particularly take note of. I think that our revolutionary party should accept good-naturedly any well-intentioned criticisms, come from whatever angles they may. There is an old Chinese saying that ‘if we have faults, we should mend them; and if we have none, we might just as well be spurred to further effort.’ This is the attitude that we should also adopt toward General Marshall’s statement, an attitude that will do both the nation and the party good.”