893.00/13655: Telegram
The Consul General at Canton (Linnell) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:30 p.m.]
Advice received from Commander South China Patrol now at Wuchow, Kwangsi, that all American women have left Wuchow for Hong Kong. Americans in Kwangsi now consist of nine men at Wuchow, including five Catholic priests, and the Catholic priests in the interior. The latter refuse to leave their posts at present but could get to Wuchow in 10 to 20 hours in case of necessity.
2. Information from reliable sources indicate that the Central Government, having won over Tsai Ting Kai, Teng Shih Tseng and other Nineteenth Route Army leaders, is employing them to overcome Kwangsi intransigeance through pressure of Li Chi Shen,84 whose influence in Kwangsi councils is apparently considerable through his potential value as a rallying point for Nineteenth Route Army personnel and other anti-Nanking-Kwangtung elements. Interesting instances are today’s press reports that Li Chi Shen has secretly left Nanning and that Li Tsung Jen and Pai are preparing to capitulate.
Sent to the Department, Peiping, Nanking, Shanghai and Hankow.
- Also known as Marshal Li Chai-sum.↩