846G.00/7–1348
The Consul General at Hong Kong (McKenna) to the Ambassador in China (Stuart)91
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of a translation of a manifesto92 issued by the Kmt Revolutionary Committee on the occasion of the recent celebration of the “Double Seventh”. This manifesto appeared in only one Hong Kong vernacular paper, the National Salvationist Hua Shang Pao, which is, in effect, the Chinese Communist Party organ serving south China.
This manifesto so closely adheres to the CCP line that it might readily be presumed to be a Communist document. Aside from conventional Communist-line attacks on the Generalissimo and his allegedly selfish rule, the manifesto contains two patently mendacious statements concerning United States policy. The first statement will be found in the third paragraph:
“… after the war it (the Nanking Government) still dreamed of consolidating its power, and for this purpose it has sold all national sovereign rights to U. S. imperialists so that it may obtain their aid in expanding the civil war.”
The second statement concerns American encouragement of the Japanese war potential, and is found in the fourth paragraph of the manifesto:
“… Japanese imperialists, aided by U. S. imperialists, are steadily regaining their aggressive strength. The rapid recovery of Japanese war industries, the reorganization of disguised Japanese army, navy and air force, the preservation of the Japanese militaristic political system and the invasion of Japanese goods into Far Eastern markets [Page 355] all point to the conclusion that soon our enemy in the East will again become a menace to our national existence.”
When a representative of the KmtRC, Mr. C. Y. Li, was questioned on July 12, 1948, concerning this manifesto, he asserted that it included statements which could give the Communists no cause to attack the KmtRC, as did all public announcements made by the Revolutionary Committee. He added that Marshal Li Chi-shen’s amicable relations with local CCP leaders recently have been strained by rumors here and in Shanghai that the Marshal has been in touch with the American Embassy, and that the Communists here have been exerting strong pressure on the Marshal to persuade him to declare himself in favor of the convocation of a People’s Consultative Conference in Communist territory in the immediate future. C. Y. Li stated that the Marshal, through cooperation with the local CCP leaders on minor matters (such as the inclusion in KmtRC Manifestos of Communist-line statements), has been able to maintain fairly good relations with the Communists, but that he has bluntly rejected the CCP request that he declare himself in favor of a PCC at this time. According to C. Y. Li, the Marshal has refused to give consideration to sponsorship of, or participation in, any PCC meeting held in the Liberated Areas, but favors convocation of a PCC in China just as soon as such a meeting can be held in territory to which all delegates can proceed without difficulty. Marshal Li has informed Vice Consul Service in recent weeks that he will not participate in any PCC which is held in Communist territory.
C. Y. Li asserted that a number of dissident groups in Hong Kong, including the National Salvationists, have assured the Communists of their willingness to support a PCC in the Liberated Areas. He further asserted that the Communist leadership here is unwilling to proceed further with its plans for a PCC unless it can force the KmtRC to take the lead in sponsoring the matter.
Respectfully yours,