893.00/2–648: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 7—10:29 a. m.]
245. General Cheng Chieh-min,35 who has just returned from Shanghai where he went to investigate recent disturbances, tells me that basically the troubles in Shanghai have resulted from student riots. The Tungchi University affair, he says, was started by regulations for student self-government associations issued by Ministry of Education without sufficient preparation and later altered, thus irritating student leaders.
The Minister of Education and President Ting of the University are both German educated, he said, and tend toward regimentation. The latter also shirked his duties, passing responsibility to the mayor. Leaders in the riot, though not those who manhandled mayor, were not students, but were Communist agents planted in menial jobs in University. Some have been arrested and will be tried.
[Page 85]General Cheng said instigation of Shanghai cabaret suppression was abhorrence of dancing by Dr. Wang Yun-wu, an independent state councilor, whose daughter’s suicide was connected therewith. The board of social welfare and its local Shanghai bureau are under the control of CC clique, according to Cheng, and opposition to suppression measures arose from anti-CC clique sources.
General Cheng does not believe there will be further serious disturbances in Shanghai. He admits the Communists are active, but insists they are not highly organized, having infiltrated more into the student body especially at Chaotung University than among laboring classes. He insists that Mayor Wu and the garrison commander are working well together and that they and the chief of police are all opposed to CC clique activities. We doubt, therefore, whether Mayor Wu will be given the supreme command we would deem necessary.
Sent Department as 245, repeated Shanghai as 111.
- Gen. Cheng Kai-min.↩