LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT FROM ALLEN W. DULLES RE IMPRESSIONS OF THE CITY OF PEKI

Created: 6/1/1956

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

friend of mine, also an old Chinapyof

. .'si: . houga: you nuflai like to glance at it. It iseel, to remember that the

wrilsr is giving aij impressions of the city oi Peking and is probably notosition to describe the feelings or

conditions of the millions of ruraloubt whether hero theof "satisfied" svould lie anything like as

cspoctfully youro.

high ftp the figure hi (tivcc.

Allen W. Dulles Director

Encl.

Distribution:CI File /,

COPY

I will take the opportunity to tellittle about dally life here,now how glad you were for your atay in Peking atai*mg to oitier resident* of Peking, (as for instance

tbebo

are doing very well andhink, are tho only European's loft Won yourtrong impression that everything has changed. Life bears the stamp of an austerity that rests heavily on many. No theatres, no cinemas, -no restaurants (the few in existence are sort of popular masso shopping

around in antique shops, no contact with the Chinese except of a

purely official nature. Everything is grey in grey. Not even radio

or newspapers outside of the communist ones.

arger and larger extent the supplies have to be

brought in from the outside. No veal or beef (only buffalo meat).

only one kind of fish (theationing of rice, flour and

vegetable oil. Only very poor, cpnnectiona with the outer world;

airmail letters fr. often upeeks or. the way

out. fortunately, there are bright points. The climate

ht not too hot,

not too cool either, no wind and only two days where it drizzled. For the first time in manyavo escaped the flu, whichlways get in January -vi'hyir.jz'iczlj during the following months. The city is clean, the water can

now ho drunk "without risk cf infection; tlicre arc no government

has cleared up conditions.

Without going into politicalay say, thatlso people opposed to thc-ae incknowledge that the great masses of the population) are better off materially now than they wore before. {But foro it is dreadful no doubt). That thereertain scarcity of supplies is erj the exuertsue to the fact that the purchasing power has grown considerably. All the Chinese (with the exception cf the before) seem to be satisfied. Everybody, even Maoa dressedreary and monotonous blue suit, the same for both sexes, and especially unbecoming to the women.

China ia the only country whors tips are refused. Bribery itainail innocent gifts. formerly so well ia

place, like forottle of Cherry Heering, whisky or schnapps, are no longer even considered.

hapter by themselves. They fall Into three, groups: - -

1. Theof thci Eastern European States.

iron)eople. They Isolate them-

selves socially from other rcprerer.ta'.icr.s.

2- The Embassies of the Asiatic Fov.-era.

Chiefs cf Mission the bust informed.

3. Tho jr>[ireftcniation'i o( the Wentcrn I'owers.

These can again be divided into two groups:

a) normal diplomatic representations:

Embassy

Switzerland )

Finland

Denmark )

b) the so-called unofficial agents (without normal

diplomaticith the exceptionery limited exemption from custom England, Holland and Norway

Their The representative of

the British world-empire is not received hycan

aaureas the Ministry for Foreign Affairs through Verbal Motes.

The Legation district is unchanged. Thetill is isapoeing colioction ofeparate houses. TheIs still being used for divine service. But tbebeen deported, and the Britishoi

r, conducts the devotionery email congregation;ule we are onlycore of people present.

On myften pass by-your house, it lohe seat rorr.c: organisation. Onezl led up and asked for permission to see the house. It waa suggestedpply to Waichiaopu for permission.

m afraid you are getting tired of all my Pelting talk,ili end.

with kindest regards,

Original document.

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