893.001 Chiang Kai-shek/3–1049: Telegram
The Minister-Counselor of Embassy in China (Clark) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 10—2:49 a. m.]
Cantel 122. Tao Hsi-sheng, Vice Minister of Kmt Department of Publicity and former personal secretary to Generalissimo, answered questions at press conference Tuesday regarding present position Generalissimo. Said Chiang will not resume direction of Government and has not been exercising any presidential authority since his retirement; said Chiang did not intend going Nanking, Canton or Taiwan, or Fukien; peace or war will be decided by Acting President Li and his Cabinet. Tao, however, qualified this estimate, stating that as head of Kmt, Generalissimo still had right to lead and Kmt members “full right to listen to his orders without interference from any quarter”.
Tao declared Generalissimo has also stopped exercising his powers as Commander-in-Chief, these powers now being exercised by Acting President Li, but added that Armed Forces are “spiritually behind” Generalissimo. Tao said differences between Acting President Li and Sun Fo caused by Li’s having acted unconstitutionally without Cabinet approval on peace talks. Said Li’s orders for release of Chang Hsiao-liang, Yang Hu-cheng87 not carried out because of failure to obtain Cabinet approval. Tao declared if Communist desire for peace sincere, will be possible merge troops both sides into a national army.
Sent Department; repeated Nanking 104, Shanghai 71.
- Marshal Chang Hsueh-liang and General Yang Hu-cheng were leaders of the Sian coup of December 1936, and were subsequently detained.↩