893.00/4–948
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 20.]
Sir: I have the honor to enclose a copy of an address88 reputedly given by the Generalissimo on April 4, 1948 at a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang. It was furnished the Embassy by an American correspondent, who received it from a C. E. C. member. So far as we are aware, only a few extracts from the address have appeared in the Chinese and foreign press, its greater part having been suppressed.
The main significance of the address lies in the fact that it formally and specifically advises the Kuomintang to nominate a non-partisan to be candidate to the presidency. The circumstances whereby the Generalissimo retreated from this stand and agreed to become a presidential candidate are recorded in Embtel 630 dated April 8.
Respectfully yours,
Minister-Counselor of Embassy.
- For text, see United States Relations With China, p. 847.↩