Marshall Mission Files, Lot 54–D270
Minutes of Conference Between General Marshall and Professor Chow, at General Marshall’s House, Nanking, May 10, 1946, 2:30 p.m.
| Also present: | Captain Soong |
Professor Chow opened the meeting by stating that he is the representative of the Young China Party and also the editor of a daily newspaper at Chengtu called Hsin Hua Jui Pao.
General Marshall asked Prof. Chow the reason for his visit. If he were a newspaper man requesting an interview General Marshall would conduct himself accordingly. Prof. Chow then said that his visit to Gen. Marshall was as a member of the Young China Party. Then he inquired about Gen. Marshall’s viewpoint as to the present situation.
Gen. Marshall stated that the situation in China at the present is extremely tragic. It is largely due to the fear and mistrust of each side toward the other. Gen. Marshall said the main obstacle to an agreement was the lack of appreciation on either side of the fears of the other party. Each is only aware of its own fears and neither realizes that the other party is equally fearful. Whenever a proposal is made, both parties immediately doubt the intention of the proposal. Gen. Marshall further stated that at the present, the Kuomintang believes that the Democratic League is subservient to the Communist Party and at the same time, the Communist Party believes that the Young [Page 830] China Party is subservient to the Kuomintang. The representatives of the Democratic League have spoken to Gen. Marshall during his last few days in Chungking and begged him for suggestions as to what the Democratic League could do in order to help solve the political stalemate in China. General Marshall had suggested that the three minority groups—the Democratic League, the Young China Party and a third Non-Party group[—]should combine together and form one single independent and neutral political party and give its full support to General Marshall in his effort to mediate between the two major contesting parties. General Marshall said the situation is so tragic that it seems none of the political parties in China is for the moment representing the desires of the people and that the circumstances have made him in a sense their representative. He further stated that he spent a great deal of effort in the United States to obtain urgently needed help for China for which he has subjected himself to criticism from all sides.
Professor Chow then attempted to clarify the position of the Young China Party by saying that the founder of this party originally also founded the Democratic League. But later, due to political differences, a group branched out and formed the Young China Party about 5 or 6 years ago in Paris. He further said that this party was formed to represent the interests of the people and to help to build a new China. He also attempted to clarify that the Young China Party is in no way affiliated with the Kuomintang. He then asked Gen. Marshall what can be done at the present in order to break up the political stalemate.
General Marshall replied that the simplest way is by getting the three minority groups together to form a neutral political party. This is not a permanent measure but an interim method in order to hasten the two major contesting parties to reach an agreement.