893.00/6–2148: Telegram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 21—9:47 a. m.]
1104. Following is Kunming’s telegram 60 dated June 18, 1948:
“Yesterday between 10–15,000 university and middle school students paraded past Consulate in orderly manner in support other student groups in China against American aid to Japan. Following slogans shouted in unison in poor English and Chinese: Down With American Imperialism; Down With American Fascism; Get Out USA; Down With Japanese Fascism; Long Live Chinese; Long Live Chinese Students; Get Away Rascals. Numerous signs and posters displayed depicting sufferings Chinese during war years because of Japan. Three student representatives called on me as parade was passing and stated: ‘We are not against American people. American people are our friends. We are only against American policy’ and presented a communication addressed to President Truman which will be transmitted [to] Embassy.39 Representatives were very polite and stated that they had seen me at Yunta in past and hoped I would visit them often.
[Page 311]“Since 1st April so-called professional agitators have been endeavoring work up supporting strikes in universities and middle schools but failed to rally sufficient numbers each time. Three-day strike was called for Saturday, Sunday, Monday, June 12 to 14 which did not materialize. However, after rallies held Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights strike actually called for one day only, Thursday. Student tribunal recently tried student in missionary middle school and expelled him for not being ‘one of them’; school authorities did not sanction action of tribunal but unable support innocent student for fear promoting city-wide strike. Kunming basic English teachers, college students all dismissed recently by Principal Shui because of agitation. Shui attacked one agitator in open assembly to which 10 or 12 students rose to his support thereby revealing dissenting element in school. Shui stated so long as he in authority students must obey; that it might be necessary for him to resign but the students would go first and thereupon dismissed them all. Re-registration is to be held for those students who wish to continue their studies; undesirables will not be accepted.”
- Not found in Department files.↩