Lunch with Mrs. Pandit.
At 3, 20 members of the delegation met in my place to discuss the situation at home. The young ones were hot for action—against both Communists and Kuomintang. The upper ranks thought it impolitic to weaken the government. At the end, I stated my convictions. We must strive for nationalism, democracy, and socialism. I pointed out that with communism, China would be a satellite of the U.S.S.R., there would be no individual freedom, and economic progress would be slow. Communism admitted no compromise. Whatever might appear to be compromise now is only tactics. If China should go down without our stirring a finger, history will everlastingly blame us. The reception to my discourse was splendid. People wished to take action immediately. But I cautioned further meditation.