Stanford Asks Court to Settle Feud Over Chiang Kai-Shek Diaries

It's a family feud -- and it's a powerful family.

Stanford is asking a judge to step in and decide who owns the "valuable diaries" of Chiang Kai-shek, the late leader of the Chinese Nationalist Party, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Chiang Kai-shek was a close ally of the United States before, during and after World War II and was the opposition to Mao Zedong, whose Communist party won out to rule China in 1949, sending Chiang Kai-shek and his allies fleeing to Taiwan.

The papers, 51 boxes' worth, are at Stanford University after they were donated by a Chiang relative who lives in mainland China, the newspaper reported.

But not so fast: other relatives, including some in Taiwan, say they own the papers.

The papers are on loan to Stanford for 50 years and are visited by hundreds of scholars, the newspaper reported. They were loaned by Elizabeth Chiang, a daughter-in-law of Chiang Kai-shek's son Chiang Ching-kuo.

Since then, however, other grandchildren have also claimed a stake in the writings of the late pre-communist leader.

Scholars say the important thing is making sure the papers are published in their entirety -- however, a family dispute is also preventing that from happening.

There's no word on when the court expects to issue its decision.