894A.00/12–1449: Telegram
The Consul at Taipei (Edgar) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 14—10:01 a. m.]
822. In great agitation K. C. Wu called last evening and stated that the opposition including Wang Shih-chieh and Chen Cheng had won out and that his provisos (see mytel 78871) had been rejected. Generalissimo is now offering him title of Acting Governor with 1 month to get American support. If successful, Wu would then be granted the full powers he had requested.
Wu wanted advice whether he could expect US aid under such conditions and within 1 month. I pointed out that such decoy measures did not appear to meet requirements of recent aide-mémoire. So far as I knew, the Chinese subsequent to receipt of that notice had taken no action toward creation of efficient administration. On contrary, they had recently transferred unneeded Liu An-chi Army from Hainan and useless lot of government officials from mainland. I continued that Generalissimo appeared as usual more interested in US aid than in basic reform and preferring half measures to forthright facing of facts. Taiwan did not now need US material aid but US moral support and that only way toward latter was through drastic reform. I cited Little [as] example (mytel 818, December 13 [14]).
Wu agreed but asked if I could obtain Department’s agreement to aid if he promised subsequent reforms. I replied that I did not recommend such procedure by Department and also doubted if US Government would be interested in more Chinese promises.
He left stating he would phone Generalissimo his rejection of offer.