894A.00/12–1647: Telegram
The Consul General at Taipei (Krentz) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 18—8:40 a.m.]
51. ReDeptel 27, December 5 to Taipei, Associated Press article. The Sin Min Wan Pao article seems repetition article which originally appeared the New Taiwan magazine Hong Kong October 5. This magazine labelled Communist here but strong indications it actually has Kmt48 backing. The repetition Shanghai and subsequent appearances press here seems follow definite campaign pattern whether origin here or Nanking instigated hard say. Although the propagation ideas voiced would seem stupid policy making aware whatever part Formosan population which has not already had similar ideas seems to me only motive can be attempt force our hand on Cairo declaration. Confirming this in my mind I consented receive some 30 representatives local press after request by CNA49 and leading papers indicating interest in establishment of Consulate General here. Written questions were required which I answered with almost verbatim quotes from public Dept statements. I also gave the reporters a one-paragraph statement containing usual banalities and a few remarks closely following Department’s statements but relating them Taiwan i. e., that prosperity of Taiwan could be of immense help to China, that the recovery of China and other war ravaged countries was important to US welfare, that US was giving constant thought to means whereby it could properly assist this process, that I was sure from what little I had seen that progress was being made here and had high hopes for the prosperity of Taiwan.
A few impertinent questions were asked along lines of the Sin Min article obviously designed draw me into indiscreet remarks, which I brushed off sticking to the written questions.
Despite all the alleged interest not one word of the interview was printed in any paper as what I said obviously did not fit the campaign and tended to refute the articles.
Although Catto50 USIS has numerous Formosan acquaintances made before the incident and who attempt constantly to plague him and tell their stories, he states categorically and I cannot doubt him in the slightest that he has said nothing in any way inconsistent official ConGen position.
[Page 476]Shortly before original Hong Kong article appeared Catto was insistently invited by a high officer of the Garrison Command which is the remnant of Chen Yi regime to an outing at which appeared numerous unrelated Chinese unknown to Catto one of whom may have been the councillor to which his alleged remarks are hooked up in articles. Just before the reappearance of the articles Catto was again insistently invited by same officer to a similar affair but declined the invitation.
What appears to be a part of the same pattern is a mistranslation by Ta Kung Pao Shanghai in a form which can only be deliberate of a highly critical article in Kansas City Star which appeared in November 22 USIS news file (reported in detail despatch of December 3 to Embassy51); this mistranslation made the article read that govt in Taiwan was only provisionally entrusted to China where original had no such implication. No local papers printed news file item but editorialized bitterly on it quoting excerpts from distorted version. Provincial information service now admits it is obvious mistranslation and that press here had the correct text.
Mytels 4952 and 5051 giving text Wei Tao-ming’s speech convocation PPC and Garrison Commander Peng’s speech closing ceremonies PPC should be read in light of above.
Wei now in Shanghai; when he returns I propose intimate to him that “I find, as I know you must, this pattern of things very disturbing” and to try draw him out on subject.
Repeated Nanking 204; Shanghai 109.