Office of the Historian

893.002/6–349: Telegram

The Minister-Counselor of Embassy in China (Clark) to the Secretary of State

Canton, June 3, 1949—9 p. m.
[Received June 4—12:38 p. m.]

Cantel 529. Legislative Yuan approved Yen Hsi-shan as premier this morning by 254 to 56 with 10 ballots invalid. Entire process took only little over 1 hour including half-hour insipid pro-Yen speeches. Few scattered handclaps when results announced.

Easy majority favoring Yen probably accounted for by: (1) C–C Clique satisfied Yen definitely not hostile toward Gimo;83 (2) Legislative [Page 366] Yuan anxiety recess for summer and board ships now awaiting take them Formosa. Interesting to note that Yen flew Formosa yesterday ostensibly to bury mother.

Sent Department Cantel 529; repeated Nanking 360; Shanghai 307.

Clark
  1. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, who retired as President of the Republic of China on January 21, 1949.↩