WILL RUSSIANS RETURN TO WATERVIEW, MD., ONLY AS A LAST RESORT?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000200540036-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 8, 1999
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: August 18, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

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JOURNAI?
t Approved For Release 2000/08/2%.UJ;lA&R1075-Q
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have them rent for the summer an old hotel in
this faded resort town near the Chesapeake
} Bay. Then circulate a bunch Vf rumors-that
ere s an idea fora zany movie :
Take a bunch of mysterious Russians an
Will Russians Return
To Waterview, Md.,.
Only as a Last Resort?
Residents Didn't Take Kindly
To the Diplomats on Vacatioli
This Year; Rumors & Rocks
WATERVIEW, Md.-Hey, Hollywood baby
For it's all true. All these things have hap-
pened here in Watelview (population: About a
dozen families) and the surrounding area. The
Russians are diplomats from Washington who
rented the 28-room Vol so that their children
could spend the summer in the country. The
kids have been here since June and they're'
leaving next week. The parents have spent
weekends here.
The CIA Man's Theory
It has been a funny summer. Many area res.
idents, who seem to be suspicious of all outsid-
ers, found it hard to believe that the Russians
were here merely for rest and relaxation.
They found all kinds of other motives, espe-
cially since the Navy had a facility on nearby
Bloodsworth Island where it conducted bomb-
ing and target practice
iywooa . I ,
If so, better call'it a documentary.
retired CIA man-give the film a catchy title
Place a Navy installation nearby, throw in a
lot of colorful townfolk-including, of course a
"F !y~ L414f Lnc nussians pinned to sur-
round the hotel with a nlhe-foot, eleetrifiecj
feline ,
"It's obvious the Russians are -using the
hotel for espionage purposes," says
W. Emmett Andrews, 67, who has-a, summer
place near here and who describes himself as a
retired "senior editor" from the Central Intelli-
ence Agency. "Using fishing boats as a cover,
hey're watching the bombing and shellin
of
g
loodsworth Island. I have proof that one third :
f the bombs dropped on one target were duds.
Me don't want the Russians to know this."
1 (In reply, a Defense Department spokes-
an scoffs. "There's nothing secret going on
t the Island. And a lot of the shells we use are
F., built not to explode. This -way we can.
ee exactly where they!.Iand." '..
"The Russians shouldn't have been allowed
to lease land where they can't be supervised,"
c+mplains Robert D. Massicot, a retired busi-
hos
i. .
e p operty abuts that of the
tel. "You can see the Russian flag flying,
d the kids lined up militarily." (A recent visi-
tor r to the hotel saw no Russian flag-or elec-
t le. fences or vicious dogs or military for-
1 ations.) A local merchant, one of 20 volunteer,
f remen invited to a party by the Russians,
s Lys "there are rumors that by socializing with
t em I may have hurt my business."
Rep. Rogers Morton, the area's Congress-
i an, has received about 20 letters from coll.
s ituents complaining about letting the Rus.
s a.ns come here. He assured the letter writers
t at the site has been cleared by the CIA, the
3I and the Defense Department.
One stormy night in late June, the Russians
c lled Maryland State Police to report that a
n an was pelting the hotel with rocks. The
ii estigating officer says at least one rock
? b unced off the front door. No damage was
d 1331e, however, and the culprit wasn't identi. }
fi d.
Patriotic Jackass"
But not everyone here sees the Russians
vi lains. "I think those Russian children a_
s' red half to death," says William R. Billard,
a retired marine engineer. "Imagine! Some
p triotic jackass threw rocks at the place!
T at gives the youngsters a wonderful idea of
w at we're like. If we could just reach some `
sot of understanding with the Russians, then
b h our nations could disregard each other's
iticians."
Fifteen-year-old James Webster Jr. is,get-
ti g to know the visitors. He spends three days
a eek teaching English to seven Russian Clvl-
dr n, and he also taught a Soviet embassy of-
fi al how to water ski.
The diplomats have been very diplomatic
ab ut how. they have enjoyed their summer
n4ton, "and we tried to abide by the traditions
aren't yet said if they'll be back next year.
ven if they come back next year, though
,
h ;Russians still may not be readily accepted.
a 3p. "In fact, to lots ? of people here, even
o eone from Baltimore is a foreigner:"
Approved For Release- 2000/08/26 : CIA-RDP75-00001 RQ00200540036-8