893.00/5–1348: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 13—9:23 a. m.]
874. Kan Chieh-hou, principal advisor to Li Tsung-jen, stated in conversation just prior to his recent departure to Peiping for a short trip, that Li and his followers are in the process of preparing a reform program for China, The Generalissimo will be allowed brief period of weeks in which to indicate the course of action he intends to pursue before it is presented to him. The program will then be presented to the Generalissimo and the President of the Executive Yuan for their consideration. Unless it is accepted in its entirety, Li will provoke a political crisis. The Generalissimo will be permitted to stay as President if he agrees to interpret the office as comparable to that of’ President of France. Resignation of the Executive Yuan will be forced and Li will name his own cabinet. Kan intimated, though he did not state specifically, that he might well be President of the Yuan. The Li faction would then proceed to implement its own program. Kan stated they fully expected to obtain their objective by peaceful means since there was every expectation there would be such overwhelming popular support for Li that violence would be unnecessary.