893.00/7–1248
The Consul General at Hong Kong (McKenna) to the Ambassador in China (Stuart)87
Sir: I have the honor to refer to previous reports of developments within the Kuomintang Revolutionary Committee, and to submit a brief account of an interview of Vice Consul E. M. Service with Marshal Li Chi-shen on July 7, 1948.
Li Chi-shen stated that the Vice President, Li Ts’ung-jen, is actively negotiating with General Fu Tso-yi and other military and civil leaders in North China for the cessation of hostilities with Communists. In cooperation with General Li’s efforts, all agents of the KmtRC in the north are enlisting support for a peace movement. When asked whether General Li was representing the KmtRC in his peace efforts, Marshal Li admitted that he was not, but he asserted that the Vice President’s program would become identified with his own very shortly after it emerged from the covert to the overt stage.
In this interview, Marshal Li added the name of the new Governor of Szechuan, General Wang Ling-chi to the list of important area leaders who are pledged to cooperate with the KmtRC.
When informed by Mr. Service that the latter had interviewed Democratic League leaders Chang Lan and Lo Lung-chi in Shanghai on July 5, 1948, Marshal Li expressed confidence that they had voiced strong support of his movement, and he made no effort to conceal his satisfaction when informed briefly by Mr. Service of the remarks of the CDL88 leaders concerning the key importance of the Marshal and the Vice President (see this office’s despatch No. 23, dated July 12 [10], 1948, entitled “Interview with Chang Lan and Lo Lung-chi, July 5, 1948”.89
When Mr. Service casually mentioned that he had spoken briefly with General Lung Yun during a July Fourth reception at the Embassy, the Marshal asked several questions as to Lung’s appearance, welfare, morale, and so forth. He devoted considerable time to an [Page 353] account of the General’s significance in the present political picture, and it was apparent that he is more than casually interested in Lung. In summary, Li Chi-shen said that Lung retains his influence in Yunnan, and that he can command the support of his scattered forces if he obtains his freedom. The Marshal also asserted that Lung is beloved of the entire population of Yunnan, a statement which might be open to some doubt in view of the ruthlessly exploitative tactics of the Yunnan warlord during his years in power.
The Marshal confirmed that he is proceeding with plans to establish a “Provisional Government” in southwest China, but he would furnish no details.
He expressed interest in the Berlin crisis and in the Yugoslav situation, asserting that American firmness would call the Russian bluff at Berlin, and that non-Russian Communists throughout the world should study closely the revelations of USSR political weakness which will unfold as the Tito90 affair progresses. When asked if he believed that the Chinese Communists now, or later will, accept the type of Comintern control against which Tito presumably rebelled, Marshal Li said that he is doubtful that Mao Tze-tung merely is a tool of Moscow, but he added that the development of world events will decide the eventual relationship between the Chinese Communists and the Kremlin.
Respectfully yours,