893.00/9–347
The Consul General at Shanghai (Davis) to the Ambassador in China (Stuart)59
Subject: National Congress of Reform Group of Democratic Socialist Party; Publication of Platform and Election of Party Officials; Further Repudiation of Carson Chang’s Democratic Socialist Party; Poor Prospects of Both Parties
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Consulate General’s despatch no. 274 of August 12, 194760 and earlier telegrams reporting results of the recent National Congress of Carson Chang’s Democratic Socialist [Page 272] Party. It will be recalled that the Congress failed to obtain the support of the party’s “Reform Group,” which proceeded to repudiate the platform adopted by the Congress and announced that it, the Reform Group, was the only legitimate Democratic Socialist Party and would hold its own Congress.
The Reform Group’s Congress was duly held at Shanghai from August 15 to 18, inclusive. Press reports indicated that the proceedings revealed almost as much internal discord as that which marked the Congress of Carson Chang’s group; but agreement was eventually reached. The work of the Congress was summarized by the Ta Kung Pao in its August 19th issue as follows:
“The National Congress of the Democratic Socialist Party held for four days under the sponsorship of the reform group already closed with satisfactory results yesterday afternoon. At the Congress, it was decided to retain the title ‘Chinese Democratic Socialist Party’ and not to recognize all the activities of the Party led by Carson Chang. 110 members of the Central Executive and Supervisory Committees including Wu Hsien-tze, Chang Tung-sun, Liang Chiu-shui, Wang Shih-ming, Sha Yen-kai, Sun Pao-kang, Sun Pao-yi, Lu Kwang-sheng, Li Ta-ming and Lu Yi-an were elected. The manifesto issued by the Congress advanced the following four points as a platform for the settlement of pending national issues:
- “1) It is hoped that peace can be restored in this country at an early date.
- “2) Human rights should be safeguarded.
- “3) Industry and commerce should be developed and a minimum stability of the livelihood of the people should be ensured in accordance with the principles of democracy and socialism.
- “4) China should assume a strictly impartial attitude towards the disputes between the two blocs headed by the United States and the Soviet Union, so that she can serve as a bridge between the latter two countries.”
On August 21st the newly elected Central Executive Committee elected a Central Standing Committee composed of fifteen members, a list of whom is attached.61 The Central Standing Committee on August 23rd in turn elected the Party’s officials (also listed in Enclosure No. 1). The two lists show a much larger proportion of men of some prominence than do the corresponding lists for Carson Chang’s party and include, among others: Wu Hsien-tze (Chairman), Chang Tung-sun,* Liang Chiu-shui, Lu Kwang-sheng, Wang Shih-ming, Li Ta-ming and Yao Yung-li.
[Page 273]On August 31st the Reform “Democratic Socialist Party” issued in local English language newspapers a long notice in which the Party reviewed the events and factors leading to the Party’s secession from Carson Chang’s Party, recapitulated its charges against Chang, and asserted its right to the title of “the one and only legitimate Democratic Socialist Party.”
In addition to the serious weakening of his position caused by the secession of the Reform Group from his party, Carson Chang has, according to the local press, sustained a further loss of prestige and strength as a result of the action of 56 members of his own Party in publishing, on August 30th, a notice in which they too repudiated his Party’s Congress. It would accordingly appear that Chang and his party are now in an extremely poor bargaining position in their current negotiations with the Kuomintang for a quota of seats in the Legislative Yuan to be reserved for his Party to “win” in the forthcoming “elections.” Chang returned a few days ago to Shanghai from Lushan, where he is reported to have been engaged in negotiations of that character with Kuomintang leaders; and, according to unconfirmed reports, he is not happy over the way in which those leaders treated his requests.
The Reform Democratic Socialist Party would seem to be in an even worse position with respect to the elections. In the first place, the party presumably has no chance of receiving any election quota whatever; and in the second place it would appear by no means certain, according to the local press, that parties which have refused to participate with the Kuomintang in the present government will be allowed even to take part in the elections. In this connection, a local Chinese contact who is exceptionally well informed on political matters states that a good many members of those minor parties which have refused to participate in the present government are so anxious for jobs that they would be only too glad to forget the high principles which their parties have advanced as reasons for non-participation, if they could only be assured of a post and could find some formula to make it appear that they were not deserting such principles.
Mr. Yao Yung-li, the Reform Democratic Socialist Party’s most active publicity agent, told an officer of the Consulate General a few days ago that, following the publication of its notification of August 31st, his party was ceasing to concentrate its energies on attacking Carson Chang and was instead devoting its efforts to building up the party’s strength.
Respectfully yours,
- Copy transmitted to Department without covering despatch; received September 16.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Enclosures not printed.↩
- This indicates that the Consulate General’s information that Chang Tung-sun could not join the Reform Group (reported in the Consulate General’s despatch no. 274 of August 12, 1947) was incorrect. [Footnote in the original.]↩