893.00/10–1744
Memorandum by the Chief of the Division of Chinese Affairs (Vincent) to the Director of the Office of Far Eastern Affairs (Grew)
The following is a summary record of our conversation on October 14 with Congressman Walter Judd, a copy of which you may wish to send to Mr. Long.90
Dr. Judd stated that he had visited Chungking, Chengtu and Kunming. He was in China I gather about two weeks. He devoted the first part of his stay to visiting Chinese and American doctors, missionaries and educators with whom he was acquainted. He found them depressed regarding conditions in China. During the latter days of his visit he called on Chinese officials. Ambassador Gauss arranged for him to call on President Chiang Kai-shek. Dr. Judd spoke highly of Ambassador Gauss. He said that he spoke very frankly to President Chiang regarding conditions in China and found Chiang familiar with the unsatisfactory state of affairs but some what at a loss to know what to do about it.
Dr. Judd quoted a Chinese friend as stating that the Chinese (Kuomintang) government had reached a point where it was too weak to rule but that it was too strong to be overthrown, and that it would therefore probably continue in power. Dr. Judd seemed to think that it was a very apt description of the situation.
Dr. Judd next launched into a lengthy description of the “undemocratic” character of the Chinese “Communists” citing as his principal authority an American Catholic priest who visited the area with a newspaper group several months ago. Dr. Judd was offered an opportunity to visit Yenan (the headquarters of the Chinese “Communists”) but was unable to do so because of limited time.
Dr. Judd spoke of the unsatisfactory relations between the Generalissimo and General Stilwell. He also referred to the Chinese comment that the American authorities had recently delivered two “ultimatums” to the Chinese Government, one with regard to military matters through General Stilwell and one with regard to political matters through Ambassador Gauss.91 Dr. Judd said that it would [Page 175] be a grave error for the American Government to try to interfere in Chinese internal affairs. Mr. Grew assured Dr. Judd that no “ultimatum” had been delivered to the Chinese Government by Ambassador Gauss. He explained that this Government had been for many years interested in political unity in China and had expressed its views to the Chinese Government on that subject but that our approaches had always been just that—an expression of views, premised on the importance of unity for effective prosecution of the war against Japan. Mr. Vincent asked Dr. Judd what he thought were the prospects of agreement between the National Government and the Chinese “Communists”. Dr. Judd did not seem to think they were very bright. Mr. Vincent asked whether Dr. Judd did not fear “territorial disunity” in China at the end of the war if some satisfactory political arrangement was not achieved with the Chinese “Communists”. Dr. Judd admitted the possibility of territorial disunity but seemed to think that if Chiang holds on through the remaining part of the war he could retain his leadership in China in the postwar period.
Mr. Grew thanked Dr. Judd for the time he had given us and expressed the hope that after the election we might have an opportunity to discuss China again.