893.00/8–1048

The Consul General at Canton ( Ludden ) to the Ambassador in China ( Stuart )44

No. 44

Sir: I have the honor to refer to previous despatches on the same subject and to enclose a Memorandum45 of further Conversation with General Sun Pao Kang, an official of the Democratic Socialist Party.

The Embassy will observe that General Sun, in common with most other observers, believes that the position of the Central Government is continuing to deteriorate and that the power and prestige of the Generalissimo is at low ebb and that conversely the power and influence of the Chinese Communists and their supporters is rising.

General Sun’s idea of a coalition of non-Communist groups is not a new idea and General Sun, in common with others who have previously expressed the same thought, is likewise unable to define the leadership of such a group. Although General Sun, in this particular conversation, did not specifically so state, there was a clear implication, as in previous conversations, that in final analysis he considers it will be necessary for the United States to express an interest in such a coalition and thus endow it with the breath of life.

It will also be noted that General Sun, as previously, continues to play down the importance of Marshal Li Chi-sen and accuses him of having no political program other than that which is dictated by the Communists or his neo-Communist followers. Sun continues to maintain that Li is motivated largely by his hatred of the Generalissimo.

Respectfully yours,

Raymond P. Ludden
  1. Copy transmitted to the Department by the Consul General in his despatch No. 194, August 10; received August 31.
  2. Not printed.