893.00/12–2947: Telegram
The Consul General at Peiping (Clubb) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 30—1:39 p.m.]
403. Resulting from informal meeting Ambassador Stuart had yesterday with certain former students at Yenching alumni association, local Peiping Chronicle today published new[s?] report stating in part: Judging from the present situation in China neither the peace consultation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Parties will be possible, nor will the continuation of the civil war in this country yield any result. To solve the present difficult problems, foreign factors are essential but they will be of no avail unless the people of China are absolutely determined to help themselves. The above are some of the salient points voiced by Dr. J. Leighton Stuart, U. S. Ambassador to China, at a reception held in his honour by the Yenching alumni association yesterday afternoon in the social center, Tung Tan.
The Ambassador expressed that the American people are willing to aid China only under certain conditions. To aid China means to benefit all the people of this country, not a small part of them. Dr. Stuart believed that the aid China plan of General George C. Marshall would be passed by Congress in January. The present problems of aid to China involve no principle but practice. The Ambassador also emphasized that China needs aid not just along the economical line and from only one country.
Dr. Stuart hoped that democratic spirit would be fully realized in China and all the intellectual class of the country would be brave enough to stand up and lead the people. To make proposals to the Government and to engage foreign technical advisors are all considered important. Requested by local foreign correspondents for confirmation or clarification of report, Ambassador Stuart made following statement for their information:
“With reference to the reported interview in the Peiping Chronicle, I was speaking to a group of former journalism students of mine in response to their questions on what seemed to me what hope there was in the present situation in China. Therefore, in what was intended as a suggestion to them as to the possibilities in their profession and as a message to the Chinese people, pointed out that the constitution had now been put into effect but that many people doubted whether it could be anything more than a paper constitution. That seemed to me to depend upon the people of the country. The great mass of these are not interested and are chiefly concerned with their daily livelihood, but the intellectuals, the non-partisan liberals and most of all the journalists should stand for both the rights and duties [Page 420] of citizenship in a republic. The Government alone could not make the constitution work nor could it on its own initiative do very much to effect the reforms which are needed, but with freedom of speech, press and assembly, with properly carried out elections, the people can by democratic processes bring about the reforms which many within the Government itself are anxious to see effected. Under these conditions American aid could help in this time of emergency both by inspiring new hopes and by supplying technical advices and certain forms of material assistance. The American Government and people want precisely what most Chinese desire for their country—unity, peace, economic recovery, and a truly democratic government—and this combination hold out hopes if heartily undertaken by all concerned. In response to an inquiry as to when and how American aid would be given: I replied that the Department of State was busy now in preparing a program to be presented to Congress next month, there was a good deal of sympathy for China throughout the country, and a program that seemed to insure that any money given would be used for the purposes intended had a good chance or being approved by Congress but it was too early now to say anything more definite.”
Repeated Nanking as 537.