893.01/2–1149: Telegram
The Minister-Counselor of Embassy in China (Clark) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 12—12:34 a. m.]
TelCan [Cantel] 32. Chiang Monlin30 confirms rift between Sun Fo and Li Tsung-jen and fact that Wu Tieh-cheng is endeavoring mediate. Although bitterness aroused by vice presidential campaign is undoubtedly element in rift, he says basic cause is constitutional; that duties and authority of a President and Premier so overlap as to make conflict inevitable. When he was Secretary-General of Executive Yuan, he said his principal task was trying to avoid conflict and T. V. Soong had admitted to him that without his mediation conflict of authority would have been even worse than it was.
Chiang says trend toward fragmentation and regional autonomy is strong and he does not think Chang Fa-kwei31 can do anything to prevent it. He admits that regional autonomy would play into Communist hands but does not believe Communists will take active meas ures in near future to conquer peripheral areas. He estimates we will be at least a year in Canton and that it may be many years before Communists will seek to assert authority over northwest, west and southwest. He feels however that Communist domination of China is an eventual certainty for the reason that “he who controls Manchuria and North China controls all China”.
He confirms that Generalissimo is still running things to the detriment of the interests of the Chinese people. If Generalissimo could be persuaded to retire in fact, much needed leadership might emerge. He recalled that Generalissimo himself had emerged from comparative obscurity and someone else might come forward now if Generalissimo’s stultifying hand were not so evident. He could not name any name at the moment but said leader must be military, must not be open to criticism of being influenced by western civilization; and must be inspired.
The Kmt had failed, he said, for two prime reasons: (1) had permitted inflation and (2) it had failed to institute land reform. Any new leadership to attract support and succeed would have to give evidence that it could stop inflation and was instituting land reform. He came back again, however, to his basic belief that China was doomed eventually to Communist domination.
He said he did not believe Sun Fo would go to Nanking though he might visit Shanghai. Premier told me himself last night that question [Page 123] of his trip north was far from settled. Chiang felt confident, however, that when Nanking fell, Li would come to Canton and not to Kweilin.
Repeated Nanking 33, Shanghai 19, pouched Hankow, Kunming, Chungking, Tsingtao.