Evening star., 1949-08-05
Blame PUT on Chang
By Acting President
In Letter 10 Truman ,
BY the Associoted Press

Probably the biggest surprise in
the Governments report on China
policy is three paragraphs of a
letter from Chinas Acting Presi-
dent, Gen. Ii Tsung-jen, to PreSl-
dent Truman last May 5. 1t
blamed China's previous 'Chiang
Kai-shek government for failure
against the Communists.
Text of Part of Report.
The report does not say why
Gen. Ii wrote such letter nor
does it indicate what he said in
the unpublished paragraphs.
The text of that part of the re-
port referring to the Ii letter and
including the text of the three
paragraphs:
Perhaps the aptest and most
tragic summary of American in
tentions toward China and of the
reasons for the present predica-
ment of China was given by the
Acting President, Gen. I'll Tsung-
l. jen, himself. The first three para
graphs of a letter he wrote to
President Truman on May 5, 1949.
concern the events of the period
with which this paper is concerned
and read as follows:
Throughout our war of resist
ance against Japanese aggression.
the United States of America con-
tinuously extended to us her moral
and material assistance, which
enabled our country to carry on
an arduous struggle of eight long
years until final victory was
achieved. The sincere friendship
thus demonstrated by the United
States has contributed not only
to strengthen further the tradj-
tional ties between our two coun-
tries but to win the deep gratitude
and unbounded goodwill of the
people of China.
Lack of Sincerity Charged.
This policy of friendly assist
ance was continued when some
years ago Gen. George c. Mar
shall, under instructions from
your good self, took up the diff
ficult task of mediation in our
conflict with the Chinese Com
munists, to which he devoted
painstaking effort. All this work
was unfortunately rendered
fruitless by the lack of sincerity
on the part of both the then gov
ernment and the Chinese Com
munists.
In spite of this, your country
continued to extend its aid to our
government. 1t is regrettable that.
owing to the failure of our then
government to make iudicious use
of this aid and to bring about ap-
propriate political. economic and
military reforms, your assistance
has not produced the desired eff
feet. To this failure is attribut-
able the present predicament in
which our country finds itself.
| Gen. Ii came in as Acting Pres
ident on January 81. 1949, when
Generalissimo Chang Kai-shek
retired from the presidency. Gen.
Lis initial task was to make peace
with the Communists and when
negotiations failed over Commu-
mist demands for unconditional
surrender, his job was to continue
prosecuting the war.
Chang Chung to Power.
The State Department account
/ in the White Paper asserts that
in his efforts he has been ham,
pered by split with Chang due
to the generalissimo's insistence
on continuing to exercise consid-
cradle power.
Ambassador j. Leighton Stuart
reported to the State Department
as recently as April 6 that Gen. Ii
had only limited power to en-
force his orders" and to hold in
check forces working for the
breakup of the Nationalist gov-
ernment.
THE generalissimo. though OUT
wardly cooperating. Mr., Stuart
wrote. ''is maintaining in effect
independent political and military
authority. The Kuomintang (gov-
erning parity leaders in Canton
are playing their own game, as are
other provincial leaders.
Though Gen. Ii has accom-.
plished miracles in asserting his
authority over widening sectors.
he still does not have unified al.
thority over Nationalist China"