893.00/6–2047
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a memorandum of conversation72 between an officer of the Embassy and Dr. Lo Lung-chi of the Democratic League on June 13, 1947.
It will be noted that in Dr. Lo’s opinion the present Government is completely lacking in prestige or popular support and that there is a large and growing body of opinion in China which is in favor of political settlement even on Communist-dictated terms. It is also interesting to note that Dr. Lo holds that at the present time there is much Army opinion in favor of immediate compromise with the Communists, and that even the Whampoa Clique of the Army is divided with regard to the question of compromise.
It is also pointed out in the memorandum that Dr. Lo, and presumably the Democratic League, now fears Communist victory because of the uncertainty of the position of the League in any Communist-dominated regime.
Dr. Lo believes that, although there is increasing opinion in the Army that the Communist problem can not be settled by military means and that an immediate political solution must be sought, no solution can be found as long as the Generalissimo remains in powder. He therefore holds that if the Generalissimo is not prepared to enter voluntary retirement a military coup will oust him from office. In this connection Dr. Lo mentions the possibility that General Ho Ying-ch’in,73 upon his return from the United States, might well turn out to be the leader of such a coup.
Dr. Lo makes much of the recent protest of more than five hundred university professors against the methods employed by the Government to suppress student unrest. He points out that this is the first time in Chinese history that such a large group of the leading intellectuals of the country have so vociferously protested against the policies of the Government, and that the group is largely made up of American or British returned students.
The Department will perceive upon close reading of the full memorandum that in this instance, as in the past, the remarks of Lo Lung-chi [Page 195] contain much that reflects a liberal’s shrewd analysis and much that savors of a fellow-traveller.
Respectfully yours,
Minister-Counselor of Embassy