893.00/11–1447: Telegram
The Ambassador in China (Stuart) to the Secretary of State
[Received November 14—8:18 a.m.]
2236. Present indications are that despite rumors to contrary the Government intends to go through with its plans for holding elections to the national and local governments the middle of November. The Kmt in last few days has announced its list of candidates for various offices. No agreement, however, has yet been announced concerning the division of public offices between the Kmt, the Youth Party and Social Democrats. Reports received in the Embassy say that the difficulty involves local administrations rather than positions in National Government in which the minor parties appear to have largely a token interest.
During recent weeks there has been an increasing amount of agitation in vernacular press designed to stimulate interest in the elections and get out the vote. The results of elections already held in such places as Peiping, as well as the tone of confidence of official editorial comment, strongly suggest the growing popular belief that outcome will in all probability be a Kmt landslide. Embassy inclined to believe that this popular feeling is not without foundation.