893.00/12–848: Airgram
The Ambassador in China ( Stuart ) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 3, 1949—3:57 p. m.]
A–297. One ironic little sidelight has developed during the last few weeks in China concerning politics of some Chinese intellectuals. As the Department will recall, a large majority of Chinese intellectuals, particularly students, has in its strong and vocal opposition of the National Government, moved steadily leftward in its political views. In many cases this process has gone so far that the individuals concerned have become very close to being Communists or have actually joined the Communists. This majority group has repeatedly [Page 636] professed its desire for Communist victory and its willingness to live under a Communist regime.
During recent months as the Communist tide has continued to swell the flood of refugee intellectuals, most of whom are students, has grown into a major problem for the National Government. The latest development in this direction is taking place in Nanking. With the immediate threat to the city most universities have largely ceased to function because students and teachers are fleeing the city in what could only be called a panic. It would seem, therefore, that these adventurous intellectuals, when confronted with the immediate prospect of living under a Communist regime, may decide that perhaps the National Government is not the worst possible alternative after all.
The President of National Cheng Chi University, formerly the Central Political Institute, in a recent conversation referred to this interesting change. He said he believed that as a result of this change in attitude most of the Chinese intellectuals in their contriteness could be rallied to effective and intelligent support of any non-Communist government in China which showed any chance of effectiveness and which had been purged of the more objectionable elements in the present Government which most intellectuals find so difficult to accept.