893.00 Mongolia/5–1848
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 2.]
Sir: I have the honor to report on problems centering around Inner and Outer Mongolia. The latter has been attached to the Soviet Union as a more or less unwilling and helpless satellite. The Chinese are trying to use similar tactics in coercing the Mongols in Inner Mongolia to become an integral part of the Republic. But there seems to be a very strong yearning in both regions for a unified and independent Mongol State. We Americans instinctively sympathize with such aspirations. For other practical reasons an autonomous Mongolia would serve to contain Soviet expansion southward, whereas the present methods of the Chinese agents tend to drive the Mongols toward Chinese or even Russian Communism. As with all such suppressive policies the Chinese employ more pliant Mongols as their own puppets against those described as “racial Mongols”. In effect it it the usual pattern of the police-state directed in this instance by the C. C. Clique.
Mongol delegates to the National Assembly have called on me and others of the Embassy staff and we are brought into contact with these “racial Mongols” through these and other circumstances. My own impression is that their case is a worthy one and that their presentation of it is both reasonable and with dignified restraint. From all accounts the economic plight of all those at least in Inner Mongolia is very bad which of course aggravates the dangers.
It would be hopeless perhaps to point out to the present Chinese leadership what a noble course they could adopt in conferring on the Mongol race the same independence they have been demanding for themselves and how immensely more effective this would be in holding their spontaneous loyalty to the National Government in some form of alliance. It might be possible to urge this with a more progressive group. Or it may even seem advisable to our Government, after considering the matter in all its aspects, to give the Chinese authorities some friendly, if unsolicited, advice. Left to themselves they will certainly allow things to go from bad to worse until it becomes too late to stop the trend.
Respectfully yours,