MEMORANDUM FOR: HONORABLE SHERMAN ADAMS FROM ALLEN W. DULLES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R004200150049-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 27
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 49
• Publication Date: July 7, 1957
• Content Type: MF

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T July1357
hitktORANDIDA TOR: Honorable Sherman Adams
I return Turner Catledge? memorandum which
you received front Arthur Sulsberger. I have taken
a copy as I fotuld much of intereet in it,
SIGNED
ALLEN W, D'OLLZS
Director
Attachment
AWD/c
1 cc--DCI
1 cc- -ER 4 / photo copy of att.
1 cc- -Reading
nrnteTnv r
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Dr!
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Paris, May 2Z, 1957
Darling MiLee and Dougie:
I recrossed the Iron Curtain a few days ago after a 12-
day visit to Soviet Russia. Before my notes get cold or my memory
fails or, more likely, before I wear out my stories from constant re-
telling. I am going to attempt a narrative account of my visit for my
dear daughters. You may recall that I took the same method in making
a record of a trip to Europe and the Middle East several years ago.
hope, of course, these rambling remarks may be of some interest
to you.
As you know, this was my first visit to the Soviet Union.
it was jam-packed with travel and sight-seeing; so much so that I find
it hard to believe that I saw and did so much. The climax of the
visit was an interview of almost two hours with Nikita Khru.shchev,
Secretary of the Central Corrirreittee of the Communist Party, who is
both the most dominant figure in world Communism and top man of
the ruling clique in Russia. That interview was sent out without
change by censorship, and published in The New York Times of
May II, Parts of it were published throughout Europe and England;
and on Tuesday, May 14, Pravda, the Communist Party paper in
Moscow, printed the Kremlin's own version, which, I am told,
agreed in every major point with my own.
My 12-day visit hardly qualifies me as an "expert" on the
Soviet Union. I do not propose, therefore, to write a book or a series
of magazine articles sounding the profundities of either the USSR or
International communism. My trip, carried out under the auspices of -
Intourist, the tourism agency of the Soviet Government, was on the
whole very comfortable so far as creature comforts were concerned.
I was in Russia at the beginning of Spring. It was also
during the May Day festival, highlognted by a huge celebration on
May 1, on which occasion Communists all over the world, and
especially Russia, indulge themselves in great demonstrations and
elaborate boasts Such impressions as I state here are admittedly
superficial. I am sure I had far better treatment than people who
make a business of everyday life of living in Russia, whether Russians
or foreigners.
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I took. to the Soviet Union my own preconceptions of
what it was Like. Such were the only points of comparison I had.
I can only relate what I saw and heard to my own irnagin.ation,
which naturally was made up of what I had seen, read and heard
regarding the USSR and its life.
I found on the whole1 again making allowances for super-
ficialities, that I had undersold Russia, or at least the part of it I
visited. Incidentally, I visited Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad, being
recalled from the latter to Moscow for the Khruahchev interview.
I had expected cold, rigid, coux-teoua, yet suspecting reception.
I expected people with whom I dealt to be quite inefficient, not too
interested in the comfort or welfare of Westerners, and almost
openly resentful. The treatment I received by no means bore out
these preconceptions. I was treated cordially everywhere. I de-
tected no signs of hate or resentment, although a professed suspicion
that the United States wanted to make war on Russia. I was handled
by Intourist with good humor and efficiency.
Regardless of the evangelism of one member of the Arneri-
can Embassy staff, who tried to convince me otherwise, experienced
some agreeable things. I expected universal drabness?dark suits,
black-hooded peasants, frazzled 61 hoes and especially dark cotton
and wool stockings on the women. Indeed, I saw quite a bit of this,
especially in the rural areas outside the cities. But I also saw
colored dresses, polished fingernails, eiLk stockings. For example,
many women had fairly well-made clothing, especially coats. l
even saw lipstick and rouge on the waitresses in the Intourist Hotel
in Kiev, and on numerous women about the streets of Leningrad.
Having no evidence to refute it, I accepted the preachment
of the American Embassy evangelist that all this was a bad quality.
My point is that L saw many things of this nature I didn't expect to
see, and on the average a better appearance of people than I antici-
pated_ The weather was agreeable--sunny days and clear cool
nights. But the Embassy evangelist almost convinced me that I was
seeing something wrong He said I should see the countryside back
in the hinterland during the winter when the pumps were frozen
and there was no hot water in the hotels. I felt it was almost heresy
to reply to this devout one that it wasn't Winter; that I wasalt beck in
the hinterlands, that I wee in Moscow, Leningrad and Kiev in the
Spring arid was actually seeing trees and flowers. I told him that I
didn't think I was being subversive by making this frank adredssion.
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I went to Russia as part of an extensive trip which I had
planned for visiting with foreign correspondents of The New York
Times at their field stations. I made application for a visa about
March I. When it came through about three and a hall weeks later,
I decided to so arrange my trip that I would go to Russia first.
Other visits, so I planned, -would be made to Sweden, Holland,
England, France. Germany, Poland, yugoslavia, Italy, Spain, Greece,
Turkey, Lebanon, larael and Egypt. I had it in mind that by going
to Russia first, I would perhaps get the most uncomfortable part of
my trip over first; furthermore, I could take more time than 1 per-
haps could take after I had come down to two-day stands; also
that perhaps I would be more interesting to our correspondents
after having gone to Russia. It's amazing how well my judgment
is turning out.
Before leavin.g New York, Herbert Andree, my efficient
and faithful assistant, arranged through Cosmos Travel Agency,
the e.ritire Ruesian trip. Our Russian experts, E. C. Daniel and
Harrison Salisbury had advised me to go Intouxist. Daniel, in fact,
advised strongly that we go through the travel agency. He said
that for a trip of two weeks, which was the extent of my visa, I would
be able to see much more if I went Intourist. At least I would be
more corniortable. Through Cosmos, I bought a ten-day "package."
For the price of thirty doLlars a day, paid in advance, I was entitled
to de hLxe hotel accorrunodations; four meals a day (breakfast, dinner,
tea arid supper). services of a guide whenever I wanted one; use of an
automobile and chauffeur at my own command; and even a cash spend-
ing alloaanee of 25 rubles ($2.50) a day. I was supplied with a book
of coupons railing for all this.
So supplied and so equipped, together with a ticket on SAS
airlines from New York to Moscow, via Copenhagen, I became air-
borne over Idlewild Airport shortly before 5 P. M. on May 28.
The first hop from New York to Copenhagen was without
particular incident, except it was the first time I'd ever occupied a
sleeping berth on an airplane. Good thing. Expensive too. I soon
came to suspect, however, some degree of apprehension among the
crew concerning this passenger heading for Russia. They evidently
thought l needed feeding up for the kill. We'd hardly cleared Fire
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'eland when they etarted feeding me, and they kept it up at increaeing
iritervals until I had gone to bed. They reeurned it the neat morning
when I &rose.
We arrived in Copenhagen about twenty minutes late,
which gave only twenty minutes for Me to make the change to a
plane on .Airflot, the official line of the USSR. I eras not terribly
surprised at the rather shabby nature of the Soviet plane. It wad a
two-motor affair vornewhat resembling the Convair on line of the
U.S., although it had only twenty-one seats. There Iffa 43 a very
agreeable young fullness without uniform -who apparently had not
combed hex hair in the morning, and very apparently had neither
taken a bath. Two of my senses told zne this. She W410 very per-
sonable, however, and spoke reasonably good Engliali. I noticed
first the presence of seat belts. I had been told, there Watul no such
thing in the USSR. I carrie to find out later than my original in-
formation wa# very nenrly correct. The further I got into the
interior of Ruasia the more Ruosiari things seemed to get. But
when Russian facilities get near the Wed, they have a tendency to
becoene We Such, I was told, accou.nted for the own
belts in the plane and aleo the practice of revving up the motors.
That was done in Copenhagen, but never afterwards.
There were only thxee passengers on the plane. Incident-
ally, it was kept Wen Out to One side at the Copenhagen airport.
Whether this way the requirement of Derureuxk or of Rue silt I didn't
learn. The three pa soenger s were a email dark Englishman who
*poke Russian, a squat moustached Italia/a., resembling Thomea
D'Alaaandro, mayor of Baltimore, who spoke only in Engliuh, and
myself. After about two and one-ha.lf hours in the air we stopped at
Riga for customs inspection and lunch. The customs inepection wee
very superficial and so was the lunch. They didn't 4iiven telee our
bags off the plain*, and asked only about cu.rrency. After they were
&mired we had no rubles, the officials didn't seem intereeted in any-
thing else. The Lunch coneieted of fried aliv-vers of some kind of
animal, who identity I wue Just as happy not to ;leek. Mare were
fried potatoe# which evidently had been cooked a second time, and is
Salad which evidently had vittrn itself weary sitting on the table. The
Meal was on the house.
When after two more houxe 01 light I fuetnei neyeeelf in Moue
cow, I faVe very quickly that I was not going to ouffer any inattentioze
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Bill Jorden, our Chief Moscow Correspondent, was there to meet me;
so was an Intl:lariat guide with a car and chauffeur. I was informed
before arriving that I would stay at the National Hotel, which is run
by Li:tourist. So the guide told me I was to be taken immediately
there. Jordan had other plans. He wanted me to go with him in
our own office Chevrolet, driven by our Russian chauffeur, Victor.
For, he said, the Japanese Ambassador was giving a reception in
honor of the Emperor's birthday and it was possible we would run
into some of the Soviet bigwigs there. The Intourist guide under -
stood very readily, made no protest and courteously offered to take my
bags to the hotel. I took one traveling case along, however, in
order to change shirts at Jorden's apartment. After my change,
we rushed over to the hotel where the Japanese reception was going
on. And there I first saw Nikita.
Yes. Mr. Khruslichev wae right there, surrounded by a
crowd of Jain-nese. Whom I later discovered were diplomats and
newspaper men. I also caught sight of Nikolai Bulganin, President
of the Council of Minister,- -another member of the Per ty's Presidi
uni
and titular head of the Soviet Government. Bulganin was steeriing
at a table bowing and smiling and talking, acting for all like Kentucky
Colonel at an alter-Derby party. Khrushchev evidently was the
greater drawing card.
In conversations before leaving New York with Daniel
and Salisbu.ry, both of whom, of course, had lived and worked re-
cently in Russia, they urged that I try to see some of the leaders.
At their suggestion I had sent cablegrams, over my own signature,
to Khrue,hchev, Bulganin and Marshal Zhukov, the third member of
the Big Three; to Molotov, Gromyko, the present Foreign Minister,
and others. They had cabled on their own to certain contacts,
notably Leortid Ilyicheev, head of the press department of the Foreign
Ministry. They also urged me to wangle invitations to any 'official
receptions that might be taking place, for diplomacy these days in
Moscow is on a cockteil basis. Daniel and Salisbury both tAlvised
a "brassy" approach. They suggested that if I got to a reception
attended by any of the bigwigs, grab someone who spoke En.gli eh
and Russian, walk right up and engage them in convereation. That's
what l did.
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Jorden himself speaks quite passable Russian--at least
he can understand and make himself understood in it--so we laid
down an assault on Bulganin. He was standing in the center al a
long table, with other long tables fanning out at right angles. It was
evident all around that a great party had been going on--dirty plates,
empty and overturned bottles, used glasses and a general hubbub
of people who were staying to the bitter end.
Jorden presented me to Bulganin as a newly arrived
American, and representative of The New York Times. He bowed
low, extended his hand and bade nee welcome to the Soviet Union.
He asked how long I planned to stay, where I planned to go and then
responded to my answers with a sort of "Tut, tut, you should stay
longer and see more." Others began to gather around us. Not
having in mind anything special to say to him, I asked if he had ever
visited my country. No, he said, but he'd love to. Then he added
some general remarks about the need for exchange of personal visits
between high governmental officials. "See these people," he wild
through Jorden's translation, and pointing to the laps. "Vie had
misunderstandings. Now they come to see us, and we talk the
same language."
A blonde who identified herself to me as Mrs. Edmund
Stevens entered the group and began interpreting. Suddenly, Bul-
gamin fixed his eyes on her and said, "I don't believ-e I know you;
let rue get my own interpreter." With this a young man stepped up
and begatri doing the honors. BeIgartin then reached for a glass say-
ing. "Let's drink a toast." He had trouble finding a glass; &leo,
the liquor had given out. But someone produced a bottle of vodka,
and he and I drank a toast to what I understood was the mutual happinass
and health of our two countries.
Just then Khruahchev carne along, and Bulgenin introduced
us. He was cordial, bouncy and red-faced. A veritable throng of
diplomats and newspapermen were following him. He had etarted a
line of talk about guided missiles and the newspapermen weehot
on the trail of a story. Just then Gromyko came up and entered the
conversation largely as an interpreter. He looked queetioniengly at
me as 11 to say, "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" Then I
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recalled a. meeting
the Savoy Plaza in
Klerusliehev _having
then replied to me
when I saw him.
we had ha4 in the suite of Secretary Byrnes at
New York. He in the question to Bullpen at
waidled away, followed by his crowd. Geolnyho
by asking that I give his regards to itol.r. Syrieee
The very fact thast we got tato the Japanese reception wee
at first a surprise. It wouldn't have been hied I kaown then of the
smoothness of Bill Jordan. I had no invitation or ticket He had
only one. As we waIked up to the door, he whispered to me that
the thuggish men etanding around were Russian secret police. Two
Japanese attendants also were standing by.. Jordan approached a
desk barring the way, said something in Russian, then LA Japansee
(I heard the word "New York Times" and "Catledge") and the
lackey* simply bowed us in. Once inside, I had no inkilettiozeo
abieut be the big shot.. The wor sit they could do 14i im ply
not to talk. But ate y didelt even take that opportunity. 1' hey Mixed,
or rather conyer nod, although they didn't say anything of id
sh.akng importance
The fir et peop.Ls I recognised &t the reception vriore
Frankel, our new second man in 11/4.0111COW, &IA his charnein.g
the former Tobia Browei, also former Timea correepetredene at
Barnard College. I saw a eumber of other people whorni knave,
rnostle newspaper people, of course, s.nd I met numerous other e.
/ was particularly impreasod by the P14-kistard Ambaasadeer ealao
the Jap envoy who was very friendly.
The official receptien, atil I helve indicated, h44 COZDa to
be a vital institution in inteeruitional communication in RZLit3ial They
furnish practically the or.......4Lconeect between Ruesian oil-104110 anel
diplomatic represent/ati vex of Weateen countriee. Reeekieg the
papers and ateendireg eceptiereu are admittedly the only ray American
diplorreets have of getting tniorrnatio.n. Such contects wee e highly
serviceable to Chip Bohleit, 'who spolte and read the lentoeige evenly,
&net who had the courage and ability to match wit and tweak' talk with
the R,uasiena, high awl low. I. was Veld that eotcktell dielernacy
actually began in the USSR &A the Aetrearican reeekesesicay'a Indepeadence
Day celebratiou a year ago ?taut July. Beelganin, niarktehelvev and
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Zintkov, and other high dignitaries showed up at that time. The
Russians have learned to use the system expertly, apparently.
They even indicate their feelings toward other countries by the
degree of rank they send to the various receptions. On Wednes-
day following the Japanese party on Monday, I went to a Dutch re-
ception in honor of the Queen's birthday. Eyes were popping
and necks craning to see who, if anyone, was coming from the Krem-
lin. Finally, the Israeli Ambassador came in and remarked to
a group of us: "They won't be here today. I know by the rank of
police officers outside." The Soviet and Dutch had been calling
each other names and the "big snub" was in order. The Israeli
Ambassador received the same treatment the following week at
his reception commemorating Israel's Independence Day.
The day after the Japanese reception, which was my
second day in Russia, Jorden and I had lunch at the American Em-
bassy with the charge d'affaires, Richard .Davis, He has been
holding the fort since Ambassador Bohlen'. departure, The Nor-
wegian Ambassador to the USSR also was there. He was very- in-
teresting and informative. He and Davis confirmed readily reports
I had heard of difficulties of diplomatic representation, and also
the important part played by the institution of the reception. They
also believed the Russians to be sincere in their desire for a new
high-level approach to world problems.
That morning I had one of my most pleasant experiences,
the meeting of Alexis, who was to be my Intourist guide throughout
my trip. Alexis, who told me he Wall thirty years old, waw a former
school teacher. lie had taught in Siberia "on a mission, " he said,
for several years when he had a brea.kdown in health. He gave up
his teaching job, for which he was paid 2, 000 rubles ($200 at current
exchange rates). When he recovered, he accepted a guide's job at
1,000 rubles ($100. But he liked the guide job, he said. He got to
meet "such nice people"; also, he traveled around a lot on expense
account so he was all right. He had bad eye, although he did not
wear glasses. In fact, / saw very few people wearing glassee any-
where. He told me that his left eye was what "you Americana call
an idle eye. I had never heard such an expression, but let it go.
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Before leaving New York I had received from the Daniel-
Salisbury "travel bureau" a list of thing. I should see in Moscow,
Kiev and Leningrad. I gave the list to Alexis. What I saw was taken
directly from that list. U, as many will doubtless suspect. I was
shown only what the Russians wanted mo to see, than I am, or
Cliff and Harrison are, largely to blame.
My first excursion with Alexis was to the GUM department
store. It was quits a spectacle. The store is not in the exact nature
of an American department store. Rather, it is a collection of
small shops, comparable to one of our arcades, But what impressed
me most was the evidence of buying power. It was the day before
May Day and the place was packed and jammed. Lines ran out
from every counter where anything was for sale, ranging from
toy balloons, which had the longest line, to the jewelry stalls,
which had less, and even to $180 (1.800) men's suits. Shoes were
being sold over the counters without try-ons. Certainly a break
for the clerks. Suits and dresses were going the same way, like
hot cak_es at a county fair. All sorts of merchendise were on dispLay.
I examined much of it and would say that the quality was nothing to
compare, in the main. witis American goods. But the stuff cer
tainly was moving.
Evidently there would be quite an inflation in the larger
cities of auesia were there not such rigid price controle. Consumer
goods are in short supply at beat. The same kind of buying I saw in
Moscow, I also saw in Kiev and Leningrad. I thought the quality of
things in Leningrad was superior. The store displaye in Kiev were
the best of the three. I didn't buy anything at GUM the first days but
went back later and bought some phonograph records (long-playing
ones for the equivalent of 70 cents each) and some novelty boxes.
Most luxury things were terribly expensive. I couldn't stay long in
the meat and fish store. Between the fish and the Russians, the
smelle-whewl
I we* told that the regime (all store, are ow-ned by the state)
had fed quite a bit of high-priced merchandise into the stores to try to
syphon off the excess purchasing power. But evidence of buying
pressure was present every-where I went. I sew televisions in many
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shops. On a trip out from Moucow, I as impressed by the sight
of TV aerials. I was told there is a backlog of automobile orders of
more than a year's standing. There is no official installment
buying, although I was told there Is quite a bit of "personal" lending
among individual*, for the purchase of automobiles, television sets
and the like. TV sets are about the same price as in the U.S.,
while automobiles are a shade lower in price and perhaps many
shades lower in quality. These prices are calculated at the new
ten rubles to one dollar tourist rate. But in terms of Russian
purchasing power they are very high. The cheapest Soviet car
Loots the average worker a whole year's pay.
The May Day parade through Red Square was something .1
truly would have hated to miss. Jorden had obtained for me a ticket
to the reserved stands (standa is correct; no sitting) and I maw the
best, though not all of it; it was too long. The leaders were there in
full feather, all standing on the parapet of the Lenin-Stalin tomb.
First was a military parade, not too different from most military
parades, although the 300-piece band was most impressive, both in
size and performance. Then followed a parade of athletic groups,
marching and performing. Imagine a soccer game in progress as the
whole group moved at about four or five miles an hour through Red
Square. By far the most impressive part was the "de.monstration"
when hundreds of thousands of workers, i00-abreast burst into that
square. It was more than impressive, It was terrifying. The throng
had been highly organized. It converged frorn every connecting street
into the eatrance to the square. Groups had been lent from factoriee,
from offices, from collective farms, from schools and from. Lord
only knows where else. The number participating were estimated at
more than 2, 000, 000. Men, women and children, with many of
the latter carried on parents' shoulders, thronged through, singing and
shouting, while a voice from the loudspeaker kept extolling the
beauties of eornmuniem. Most of the groups carried branches and
flowers, A contingent of children, all carrying bouquets, broke on.
eignal and made for the tomb and covered it with flowers.
But the May Day celebration would have been rewarding fur
me if for no other reasons that it was there I met "the girle." The
girls were a group of eighteen televiaion and radio program director s,
performers and managers from the United Staters. They had ;Arrived
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at three o'clock that morning directly fro= the U. .A. alud wer
zs
about the business of taking things in. They were the type who run
home showy, cooking programs and the like. They were dressed
it to kill, and well equipped with note books, cameras and Intouriee
guides. Two young men and one woman guide had theme id tow,
and what a bull they were herring. The mother hen of the group wale
one kir a. Beatrice Johnson, who runs some kind of television honie
show in Kanas City and who makes u speciality of organizing tow --
ing parties such ea the one I taw. They had with them two men, u
photographer and a sound recorder operator . They had been greeted
at the airport that morning by a band and fully 5,000 people.
When they discovered who I was. they balked my ear edg,
They told me how they were going to our Eanbarmy that edternoon *Ler
cocktails; how then they were going to get Dick DIMAII ttlt Liz them ep
for a visit with tome a the Soviet leaders. I started to tell them I
save therneelves the trouble and Davis the etnbarrasoment, for he 1.:413,14'tm
do a thing about it. But L thought I'd beat keep my tongue. They teed I
got fed up with the parade about the Ida Ma time and etaated back to the
NatIa4,41 Hotel, where they us well at I were *tering. I then di L5c.crre-ped
that another irlia-11 was with them, a plain-clothes security policeman.
He turned out to be a very nice and effective perean. /fe had to welh
all the way around the Kremlin, two and one -heal milee, and tat/leen/A'
way through the crowd at every intereecthan. The isecurity policeman,
who heel hi Little tem-yaer -old daughter with him, Cd4 Xttikay luattriv the
magic words. We eters the only people who crossed the linee
Eo
five hours or mor.
Now, try to thriklif hie my surprise when, two days later, :re-
t-urning from a trip to a collective farm, I found out that the girls had
seen both Bulganin and Lhukov. I-hearing this, Jordan called leer at,
Johnson ti invited her out to drinks with us. Inetead, she carac
dinner with Jordan, the Frankel* awl myuelf to a large atate-wwtAid
restaurant (everything is state ovimady, Yes, they h.e.A
and Zhukov "and what interesting and lit4Q, people they loY ere" 'they
had sat in flulgain's chair, each in turn. They had interviewed tsJeila
on what he liked to eat, he liked in eirornen' Lottr lic.14111
what clue, ZhmItov, "that nice generel", had given euh.ch a medal-
Furthernaore, Bataan had allovred them , pictiv era and landlim
sound recording of the w1-34te VI' Coe 444AV Thiet HOT ?teeeerietvy
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f(a. !nor e .han an hour alter dinner and Listened to the playback of
the recording. So, I fancy that Kansas City, Rochester, Detroit,
and other places represented by "the girls" are going to hear a lot
from Ruseia this Fall, some of it in Bulganin's and Zhukov's own
,.folk:es. I asked Mrs. Johnson how she had arranged the meeting.
It turned out she had d.oue it all by telephone horn Kansas City,
directly to Bulganin's office.
Speaking of resULurants, the four of :is, Jordan, the
F'rankels and I, went to the Praga restaurant on May Day eve. There
a band playing Arriericar dance music. The Russians ate it
ip. We asked some of the girls to dance with us, and they did.
Alter a while, some other acarne over and asked us to dance. They
danced very well indeed, but were unable to converse at all because
of the'language barrier. The point here is that all classes of people
seen= In be relaxing, certainly fronl the disciplines which I under-
stood to he the rule in the USSR up until two or three years ago.
'nee rti on every hand that the old Stalinist terror had subsided.
People, as I have said, didn't seem reticent to communicate with
so far as this could be done against the language difficulties.
saw numerous Western people who spoke Russian, who told rue of
recent visas wlth Russians and of the freer and easier relations
with and among them. The old fear of the knock on the door at night,
fAlowedb someone's being whisked off to Siberia, lute disappeared,
s(; I -,ivas told.
14 LIN travel but the country to quite an extent, but
y in organised groups and to specified places Pithlic bars
are not prevalent in tie cii.les I visited, but I was told they were coining
into being n rriany of the outlying neighborhoods
Alex.* Ansi I went on quite a round of sig:rit-sieeing. Day
after day we were going somewhere. He was rn.ost agreeable and
helpful. From my f1r t rneeiting with him he set up a campaign to
persuade n-ie to go to Kiev and Leningrad. It was evident, of course,
that he wanted to go himself. I figured he must have a gel in each
port. It turned out that he had one in Leningrad. I asked Toby Frankel
to go id iOn g with me to most places around Moscow. She had only
been Me, e two and one-half weeks and was eager to get acquaimed
with the surroun4:oge. I had a nice agreeable guide, an automobile
available ail of the time, and Alexis Was azurdoue to have Toby along.
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One of the places E. C. and Harrison had urged me to see
was the ancient monastery at Zagorsk, about 65 miles from Moscow.
So Alexis took me there, aloag with Toby. It was a most impreseive
place. Services were in progress in three or four chapels. There
peasants, largely old women, prayed in the most demonstrative sort
of way. The chants of the priests and responses of the congregation
were beautiful. I had asked Alexis the day before about the possi-
bility of buying an ikon at some shop. He had advised waiting until
we went to Zagorsk. As we completed our tour of the monastery,
the young monk, Father Bartholemew, who had been showing us
around asked us into the Superior's "inn." There he introduced
us to his boss, a tall fine-looking man with long hair and beard,
wearing a dark grey habit. Alter some pleasantries, the chief
monk asked if Toby and I would accept two painted ikons. We did,
with the best responses Alexis could translate. When I offered a
contribution, he refused, "unless," he said, "we wanted to con-
tribute for prayers for some relatives or friends." So, Darlings,
you have been prayed for at Zagctrsk to the tune of 50 rubles.
attended two church services, in Moscow on the Sunday
I was there. One was at a Russian Orthodox church, which was
literally mobbed by communicaaits; the other was a Baptist church,
crowded. The Baptists are, I was told, the sec.ond
largest church group in both Moscow and Kiev. It was just like
a Baptist church in Mississippi. The communicants, on the
average, were younger than at the Orthodox church, and apparently
better off economically. Both groups were highly emotional, es-
pecially i'le Baptists. The singing at the latter was really moving--
just like hymns back home but more beatifully done, with full
audience participation. But such weeping! I've never seen the like.
A man ben:it-id me was singing in the most beautiful baritone voice, in
perfect harmony with the crowd. I turned to see what he looked like..
He was a tnan of about thirty-five, holding a little boy by the hand.
The 'tear s were raining down his face and dripping off his chin. At
the Orthodox hurch. I noticed a line of old women going into a side
door. I asked Alexis: "Are they going in to confession?" He replied:
"No, the toilet."
It suddenly dawned on me on our returning from Zago.rak,
that Toby, as a resident foreigner, was not supposed to go more than
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25 kilometers (15 miles) from Moscow without special permission
from the foreign office. Alexis said to "forget it," he'd fix every-
thing. The next day, before taking off for a collective farm, we
checked with the Foreign Office to see whether it would be all right
for her to go. "Go ahead," was the word.
All through the countryside I was impressed by the
shabbiness of buildings and the generally dirty appearance of things;
also the crowded roads. I was unprepared for the prevalence of
log houses, either Along the roads or in Moscow. I marvelled at
the many houses which seemed to be sinking in the middle or falling
over backwards. Housing for humans is admittedly one of the weakest
part of the Soviet performance. People live jammed up everywhere.
There is a frantic apartment-buildihg program going on in each of
the cities I visited, but the construction is far below American
standards and will hardly survive very long before it distintegrates.
The building industry seems to be among the poorest. I would have
judged that the American Embassy compound was built at least thirty
years ago. I was told, however, that it is scarcely five years old.
I couldn't get used to the women day laborers. Most of
the construction workers whom I saw, including railway section hands,
street repair people--most of the drudge laborers--were women.
Plasterers, house painters, similarly, were women. Quite an unusual
sight for one who grew up in an American matriarchy.
I wound up my Moscow sight-seeing with a visit to the Lenin-
Stalin tomb and the Kremlin MUMUM, The two old boys are there,
lying in glass cases for all to see, They Seem a bit waxsy, but by and
large they're kept in pretty good shape. Every occasion that the tomb
is open for visitors, it is thronged. The Sunday afternoon Toby and I
went through, the line extended more than a mile long Along the Krem-
lin wall. Alexis talked his way right up to the head. We both were
somewhat embarrassed, but Alexis said it was our privilege as
tourists. One thing he couldn't talk away, hoover, was the require-
ment to check wraps in every public building. It's not that the
authorities are afraid you might be carrying a bomb, according to
Alexis, but it's bad etiquette in the USSR for a man or woman to wear
a topcoat in a building.
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Reverting to construction, there are seven skyscraper
show-buildings in Mosscow. One of these is at the University of
Moscow. 'We visited that building one morning. Alexi* wanted to
show off the schooj. also wanted us to see how the students lived. He
insisted we should see a "bed-sitter", which turned out to be a
sitting-room- bedroom (all in one) affair. He said he got the term
from an American. I found out later he must have got it from an
Englishman. But to the construction. I noticed the blsilding was
rather shabby in places. Plaster was billing off in spots and the
plumbing was at least pre-World War U. Alexis told me that plans
for the building were Lompleted in the Thirties; were then leid *side
because of the war; were brought up again in 1950 and the building
constructed according to original specifications. That was about as
impressive es to learn that in the doririitories men and women
Live on the same floor. That was somewhat evident in the "bed-
sitter we visited, for the young woman occupant apparently WA
pr egnent.
Kiev was altogether a different city from Moscow, and
Leningrad was 1ns class to itself. The latter was built substantially a,
a single project of Peter the Great at the beginning of the Eighteenth
Century. It has a definite 'Western European appearance. Kiev ie an
older city than either, with its roots going back to the Eleventh Con-
tui-y. The Ukrainians, for whom Kiev is the Mecca, are somewhat
disda.inful of Muscovities, or Russians generally; something of the
attitude of a South Carolinian for the Nawth.
At Kiev I ran into several Americans. One was an elderly
Jewish man named Kiponis, who once was head of the National Container
Corpcsration before he sold it to ()wens Illinois Glass Company for ,
according to him, $180, 000, 000. He was there to see his 80-year -o14
sister and sundry relatives. I had seen him in Moscow. Ho spoke
Russian, having been born near Kiev and lived there until
he was thirteen. He is now seventy-five. He told me he erne having
no trou.hie at all getting around and visiting with whomever he
pleased. He added that it was a far different story this time than
seven years ago. I went with him, his sister and six other relativat
to a cif.luiL I saw the damnedest animel act I ever sew; even tra3404
chickens, rehbite, turkeys, pigs and porcupines. Mx Kipais 'wanted
me to stay for a banquet he wan giving at the intourist liotel for forty
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relatives lad friends. He said he knew Ted Bernstein; Ted's father,
he eair, was his attorney'.
Another Aenerican I encountered was a Mr. Polsky, an
accountant: froen Plilatielphie (Pa., that is.) He started cwrp1iln-
tia inern.ediattly. Ile had come to Russia to see the grave of his mother,
eleout sixty miles eautie of K.iev. The autheritiee wouldn't give him
peciiiiesion, he said, A.pparently he had put in a formal request for
the vi ell, and when nothing happeued 'withie A few hours, he started
throwing hi. weight around. Et wanted me to get in touch with Jorden
in Moscow to "put on _genie beat." He ..vas ferious; he'd been cooling
his heels for ten days and his yisa had only two roc.re days to go. Az
he walked. away, Alexia said he would have been Weil to take him tie his.
mother 'e grave had he not made an issue of it. Alexis insisted that
elite!. he bead raised so much. fuss. Poleky c.-.ould have hired an In-
tourist car and gone on his own. Whether Ateids was right or %rag
pulling my leg, I do not know.
.At Kiev, iricidentelle. Alexia had to have an interpreter,.
t-40. He dide't speak iikranian. So, with a Lli*ranian Iniourist guide
named. Vladarnir, we went to an anrient monastery,. said lty Alexis to he
one of he i-e.-Aleat places La the traditiou of the Russian church. We
were taken theough a. series of undergieound tunnels where 140-eorne
saiets were nterreti it) glagia-toppect wooden leext a in tiny alcoves
It wee an eerie experieace. We had to carry cnadlee all the way. We
were with a group, some of whooi were highly de-et-ult. Alt-xie tOld me
several had come from hundreds of miles on whet, for +item, was a
pilgrimage of a ilfetitrge; jUSt to pray at this particular place. Other
44,,ere scoffers, who kept up a running argument with the luting monk
who was eeeerting us, as to the reasons for the good state of preservation
of some of the bodies_ The inonk insisted with vehemence, amounting.
at tires to rage, that it waa a matter of the grace of God. The
sc.:offers, rye-300y eoung Reissians, theisted it was a case of good
Russian erntiatmeng, plus good soil. I. etaved out of that ,:yve
I IA 4g, etting off onto the esenta, I wandered away [coin the
Americans ; ren across in Kiev. Another,. who ?wzi..8 anything but a
saint- -11.e vrea too attractive and puckish.- -was a young Princeton
geadeete reamed .1i-ill Hardy. frore Ciecinnati I met him ie the dining
toom of the leitourist, Hotel. Alexis had juet left for the night when
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tMi young lad came up and asked In RosaIan if he might sit at my
table. Whet) I responded in E0411111, he immediately asked in English.
if I were American, ,tad I vs& . He told me he'd been having an
????????? ??=1.
awful time Hie sun y was that he had specialized in Russian studios
at Prieceton and he had come oveer to Ruectit to tr / to arrange to go to
school. in the USSR next year. He spoke Russian, but ha lived A.inerican
n the best tradition, lie had Leen all over the lot. He had gone up
one Street and down the other le the down-graded and up-graded
areas siike, knocking on doors, visiting with families, playing with
children- -what a boy! Well. eome where along the line he had
attracted the attent,on of public authorities, NikiscoA, had apparently
taken him in stride-- he had spent the eight there with s Russian Cgettelly- -
but in Kiev they didn't know what to do with him. And he chtin't know
what to do with himself. Ilia RUA Sian language in the Ukraine rr.nete
him even more suspect- -thia Ukraine which was the Lrainin.g ground
for Khruelichev. had he didn't help matters by being jut a Cinciarieti
boy. He went Lem home to home. Kid* followed him in the street..
When they asketi 'elm "why America wants to make war all us" he
told them whoever said that was a da.rrui. Liar. Wall, it eras Ithriteh-
cleev, the LiCtia at Kiev, who had said it. He went out to the beach.
and Imam with some Ukrainian kids. He played football (soccer)
with them got into friendly tussle and broke hie g)a.ssea. H.e wzie
about to take over the place when he fouled thing. up with pdcturu
exiting, 'Tyres just so eimple a thing a? photographing the head-
quarters of the Secret Police., which had been pointed out to him by
*time Uk.reinian.
rourig Mr. Hardy got too much for them, evidently.
He had been ta yens desperately for Ups to obtain airplaree peonage
our of the ca?mts- y, but to no avail. After taking the picture of the
police statien, for which he was rtui in but ealeaeed, he gut hie
passage posthaste. Wheu. t Ltst saw him he Was at the Kivvairport,
whence 1 *es taking off to Leningrad. Intouri et had put a very
personable and efficie.at young lady with him, to see to it that lie got
on the paint to Vienna The plane was held lip for a few rainettes
while Mr. Hardy settled for excess -weight of luggage, all marks up
of Russian bookx. He had ae idea toward the Last khait we. beix4
followed at every step. For that i wouldn't blerne the Ruseien,eor,
even New Yorkers
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Another foreigner I encountered was a gal representing
the Evening Standard of London. She was looking for trouble and
the Russians were being excessively mean by not giving it to her.
She was loud-mouthed and provocative. She was picked up twice,
simply by workers for taking pictures of certain things evidently
forbidden. But the police shooed her out of the station each time,
much to her disgust. She shan't be able to write about her experiences
ort a Soviet jail.
On our second day in Kiev, Alexis arranged for a motor-
boat ride up the Dneiper River. I didn't particularly care to bounce
around in a speed boat for an hour, but he insisted and I went along.
The Dneiper, apparently, has an importance in Ukrainian history
which I didn't. understand. As we were making our way down to
the boat landing, a nattily-dressed young Russian army Lieutenant
caught up from behind and passed us. He was saying something
which Alexis interpreted to be a quotation from a Ukrainian poet,
saying in effect, no bird could fly to the middle of the Dneiper.
I asked Alexis in which direction was the Dneiper darn that was
blown up by the Germans during the war. For one of two times
during my association with him he went blank. "That, he said,
"wouldn't have been published in this country." The other time
as when I tried to inquire into his teaching experience in Siberia.
He changed the subject quickly and firmly.
On the plane from Kiev to Leningrad we met up with a
couple of friendly souls. How we met I do not exactly know. The
first thing we knew they were engaging us in conversation from
the pair of seats immediately in front of us. One identified himself
as Alexex Ivanovich Poltozats, editor of "Oitcheria" (Fatherland)
and the other was a young Leningrad surgeon, Dr. Arcady Dexaxime,
who had been to Kiev to conduct some demonstrations in gynecology.
(The English spellings of the names above were supplied by Alexie. )
We had morning tea with them in. Minsk, whence I was pleased to
send a postcard to my old friend, Sol Taishoff, editor and publisher
of broadcasting Magazine in Washington, who was born in lainek.
We saw Alexex Ivonovich Poltozate later, several times, in Lenin-
grad. He had gone over ostensibly to confer with a publisher who was
bringing oat one of his Ukrainian books in Russian.. The doctor wanted
to know all about the Mayo Clinic. I found he knew much more than
I did.
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There wasn't enough unusual about Leningrecl, in
my terms, to compete for much spice here. In truth, the un-
usual part of it was a slight return to the usual. In ternae of nry ex-
perience it was a large, comparatively attractive and comfortuble
town. The people were better dressed and apparently gayer than in
Moscow or Kiev, hut that was due in part, no doubt, to the fact the*
they were having their best weather in weeks. We arrived there on
the split second of schedule. Wherever I went this part of the story
was the same. planes --and I travelled only by airplane- -were
always off on time and down on time. The crews were pleasant and
hospitable, albeit I wished the hostesses had some reepect for
the sense of smell. Never again will I make dirty remark* shout
the American deoderant industry. Viva Nana.
But in Leningrad I also had a most memorable experience.
I was standing in the door of the Astoria Hotel, where I was quartered,
watching the people go by. At thee moment I was counting the number
of people who passed by without eyeglasses. tore than ZOO had ig0Thi
by, from one way or the other, when I looked around and saw 3 little
girl of about ten years staring at rue. That wasn't of itself particu-
larly unusual. For wherever an American stops, someone goat; up
to him to engage his attention. She kept pointing to my necktie. It
was a bow tie, itself unnoluel'in the country, but this one was red
with black polka dots. Then she pointed to a pin on her swe.e.tee.
Finally, she unfastened the pin and asked to pin it on me. I agreed,
not knowing what in the devil it was. The doorman who was vat:ebb:4
this kept trying to tell nee what it was all. about, but even Ms kunwiee
most have been bad. Finally, I gave the little girl *time American
coins and retreated into the lobby. The next day when I told this
story to Alexis, he told me that the little girl was a member of the
"Young Pioneer s." The Fin which she gave me, and which I have on
my key chain, had the motto "Always Be Prepared.." When I remarked
that it waa substaritially the motto of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
in America, he hastened to assure me that there must be a greet
difference. This orgenizatiom, the "Young Pieneere", ha said, was
a wort of kindergarten for the Commemist Party. Youngster 3 werq recruited
out of its ranks (its age grouping was from nine to fourteen "'etre)
into the Young Corn/runlet League and then into the Party ituelg.
He said that only a few went on through to the final tup, not bete-seise
they were unwilling,, but t:bitteaus. 01 the rigid requirements of the
Party. He took this occasion to tall roe that he was not a PIP' ty
member, though completely in tun* with its objective.
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Alexis was a very cultured man. He could quote
Shakespesre endlessly; also Mark Twain, 0. Henry, James FenI
viore Cooper, Charles Dickens and certain other English and
America.ri writers. I was told that these are among the selected
English-language authors for the USSR,. He had no limitations in
efereruze to Russian* in any field of the arts?Litetature, painting
and music.
From the time we started on the trip to Kiev and Leningrad
had a hunch titat I was going to see one or inor? of the leaders. On
&:..inday night before I left on Monday morning, I had attended a press
party given tly Uyichey at the Moscow Press Club. Through the inter-
cession of a young Russian journali et named Valentin Bereshnov,
Vi:. e Chief Editor o.f The New Times, whom I had previously met in
adeU.SA , I was privileged to have quite a conversatiork with Elyichev.
oi course pit in a word (myself and Jorden) for an interview
w-..th Someone of high station, Mr. Ilytcheve who was quite drunk,
assured us he was trying to work things out, for it was through him
th.ei the request had been channeled. When I told him I was leaving
the next day, and might not return,. he said, in effect, that he'd find
me. if I was still in the USSR. Beginning the next day Jorden stepped
up fop hourly calls to a half -hour basis, and he Literally nagged the
fore)gn office half to death, at least for a definite answer. I did not
inter.d returning to Moscow for anything less tha.n the best; otherwise.
I was going out to Stockholm from laningrad..
"Mot Press Club party was another bacchanal. W (Jorden,
Fransei airi I) got in with a group of loud-mouthed Russians, two of
whom spoke ex...,-:ellent English. We drank quite a few toasts with
them, downing a glass of vodka with each. Finally, One of them sug-
gested we acij.trek to his apartment. the wife, who was there, Jointscl
in the warm I.-wit-40?n for "everybody come home witt, us. " A. vs
separated to g our wraps, an act of magic took place. In Is?ti time
that it takes to tell it, all the Ruseians had disappeared. They seemed
to dissolve into tike wocpdwork. Not one was left. And we haven't
heard from cine f.f them since, despite all the promises to "let's get in
touch; yes, let's do it tomorrow," The telephone numbers we gathered
simply didn't answer. When I took leave of Ilyichev, he raised his
glass to propoce a toast, 7 r yin g to focus on me with his floating eyes,
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he said, as translated: "Here's best to The New York Times;
of course, what J think le best for The New York. Times and what
you think is best for The New York Times, are greatly different.
But here's to the difference."
On Vle plane from Moscow to Kiev I thought I'd better
take Alexis into my conilden.ce on roe possibility that I'd have to
return to Moscow to ree some of the leaders. ills first reaction
iVa.S; "I am sorry you didn't n-ention that to me sooner. I might
have been 1.ble to do tornething in that direction." But he 'fa
highly pleased to be taken in on the Intrigue. So, when we arrived
at Kiev he arranged to be notified imrnediately, at any time, of any
call for rne (torn Moscow'. Every time we came in from a sight-
seeing expedition he'd irtluire for meseages, and then would exhibit
path and disappointment if notnina s there. And so with ccutstaat
watching of the key tkr,K, ni listening for the telephon.e, we came
up to Thu.reday arterneon at Leniagrad.
I had a rne4s-lci from Jorden saying he would call at no.
Alral and I were on edge, jorden called at noon, but he had had no
definite word, one %tray or another. Alexis had to know something,
for if I were returning to iN.loecow, he had to rearrange all the air -
plane tickets. He already lied a.rranged with great trouble to get nae
oot fronn Leningrad to Stockholm vie. Riga. Jordan said he'd Call
again at 3 P. M. He t:id. Still no definite word. Most mystifying of
all, there wau turn:town. But a decision had to be made. I de-
cided, therefore,to oo back to Moscow and catch a plane from
there to Stockvzo're n Seturday morning, the same one I would
catch in Riga. olJelose ,Ne.s etanding by. Just as I told him what
to do, larder. telrphoneft. Khzunhchev would see me at 6 P. U.
the next (Frid-y) cvertine (May 10). Alexis and I had forty-five
minutes in whicli to (-Lt.:yr out P r.:1 catch a plane for Moscow. Vis
made it.
The ct..uy ri IA., 1. tfo-yiew hes been published. .I went to
bed rather early to tyo. Jorden called about II o'clock
Friday -norrii:.g to Lay tI?Lat r. I..2.1rutshchev would like to stepu.p
the time to 2.:30 7. M. '..?11.e!: moitel me better. We were told that a
car would be itsvnt 1V1th.)-:-.1.1 Hotel for us at Z:10. Jorden had
been invited to Tor:n..1 ri.,!--1; arrangements were most
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agreeable. The car picked us up at 2:10, and we were whisked
over to the Communist Party headquarters, about three blocks
north of the Kremlin, arriving at 2:20. We were ushered immediately
in to Khrushchev, along with Ilyichev, who went up in the elevator
with us. We were there until 4:10.
There isn't much I can add to the published story regarding
the man and his surroundings. He was outwardly cordial, calm and
apparently completely self-assured. He bounced out from behind his
desk and greeted me, extending his pudgy little hand. He bade me
to a seat near the head of a long wooden table, covered with a half
runner of green material. He took a seat directly opposite me. "
An interpreter took his place at the head of the table. To Khrush-
chev's left was Ilyichev and to my right, Jorden and a stenographer,
who followed us in from the outer office.
I opened the conversation by telling him briefly of my
visit to the USSR, mentioning particularly my impressions of the
May Day parade. I thanked him for receiving me and asked if I might
ask a few questions.
"Please do," he replied.
I then told him that I hadn't come there to argue with him
about anything; that the questions I would ask were intended to get a
clearer idea of his views and those of his country on certain topics,
to pass along to the readers of The New York Times. I told him that
I was in charge of the "factual" part of The Times; that I had little
or nothing to do with forming the editorial policy and was wholly in-
dependent of opinions expressed by the paper. Later, I attempted to
illustrate by telling him that whereas The Times editorially had sup-
ported Eisenhowever for President, I had voted for Stevenson twice
and the fact was well known to my superiors. He didn't seem to
understand, or at least to believe me.
I read my questions from a list which I had prepared with the
help of Salisbury, Daniel and Jorden. The Translator took notes of
each question, put it into Russian for Khrushchev and repeated the
process in reverse with his answers. At no time did he balk or bridle
at a question, The list of questions was quite long. We had made it up
in the half expectation that any leader, if he decided to receive ma,
would require questions in advance. He did not require them, so I
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read them personally. I bad indicated in my notes a certain
priority of questions, however, in t.s.ae the interview should
cut off before I got them all in. Luckily I did so, for I was able
to ask no more than half my list during the hour and fifty minutes
with him.
The old boy seemed to enjoy the whole thing. He warmed
up as we went along. Repeatedly, as he took long periods in which
to give his replies, which I could not immediately understand, I
lapsed into reflections. 1 tried to rise in my mind to the importance
of the occasion. I tried to impress upon myself that here I was
sitting there at the very center post of the international corrununist
conspiracy. in the presence of the chief engineer of the aparetue;
before one of the most powerful individuals in the world, so far so the
chances of war and peace were concerned. I could convince myself
of this intellectually; I new these were the facts. But I simply
couldn't feel it. I have since tried to analyse this emotional dead-
spot. I guessit came from a sort of sense of disgust that this
porcine little man, with his toughness and crudenese
bulging through any show of good mariner* should be in such a poui*Wtxn;
? that my generation had permitted the world to get into finch a utate as
to be troubled in any way by this little breggart. The very fact that
I had to regard him a. of highest material for interview gave me, I
am sure, an inner s.ss of revulsion,
When at the end of the interview I arose to go, he came
around to shake hands and wish me well. lie brought up again a
little aide exchange we had bad about his coming to the U.S. lie
said, with a chuckle, he couldn't come as a tourist without boing
fingerprinted, and he didn't like that. I replied by pulling out nay
Defense Department Accreditation Card to show him my fingerprints
on the back of it. I told him that no one in America took alien*e at
being fingerprinted for such documents.
"Than you unlit be a crirsainal, " he said with a 1,41144b. H4
had given off quite a chuckle a moment before when, cutting off the
interview --which he said he'd like to continue- -bra a 111101.1riC ad he
had to go out "to meet the Mongolian delegation. "
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We withdrew through the outer office into the main corri-
dor. There we saw him again. He raised his Little hat as he passed
and said: "Off to see the Mongolians."
Only time will tell his place in history, or even his con-
tinuing role in the Soviet Union and Communist Party. Theoretically,
he is head of an eleven-man Presidium (party governing board) which,
again theoretically, decides policies by "majority vote," He is
also a member of the tap triurnverate of himself. Bill:gamin and
Marshal Zhitkov. But I got the definite impression from what I saw and heard
that, at least for the present, he is the hull moose. However, there is
also the impression throughout the small Western colony (diplomats,
correspondents etc.) ir. Moscow that no one, Khrushchey or anyone
else, is going to be allowed soon to fasten a personal Stalin-like rein
on the party or the Soviet government if it is within the power of all
the others to prevent it.
After leaving Mr. Khruschey's office, we went to The Time.
off oe, which is also Jordert's apartment. There we recoutructed
our notes. This took more than two hours. Then I wrote my story.
I was told by Jorden that, being a tourist, I might be able to telephone
the story to London without check by censorship. I insisted, how-
ever, that it go through censor; I wanted to see what, if anything,
would be cot out, or if the story would be allowed to go at all. Jor-
den sent the copy to the telegraph office by Victor, the chauffeur.
ali unbelievably short time we received word that the copy had
been cleared by censorship and was, in fact, already in New York.
Not a word was ehaciged, so far as we were able to tell at the Moscow
end.
There is much else to my trip that I shall have to leave for
future telling. I'd rather like to tell you, for instance, of the
American correspondents and the difficulties under which they live
a.nd work. Tile iordens have al apartment, whieh is part of our
office. It is regarded here 4a quite piosh, but you certainly -.wouldn't
think so. At least they have a bath tub and make better use of it
thae one I 9aw in a worker's apartment atighioe factory in the city of
Kiev. They had kindling wood stored n it. The Frankel, live in
one room at the Metropole flotel. Any cooking they do?and Lord
knows no one wants to eat out auy more than necessary in Moscow--
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has to be done on an electric hotplate in the one room, which serve's
as bedroom, sitting room, library, solarium and pantry. Their
canned goods are stored in a clothes closet; dishes are washed in
the bitthroom.
couldn't help, therefore, feeling guilty when I arrived
at the beautifully run, well-stocked Grand Hotel in Stoc.khol.m. I
appeare.d my guilt somewhat by bringing Jorden out with me for a
few days in Stockholm, and by authorizing him, while there, to lniy
the Frankei's an electric refrigerator.
As 1 said at the outset, I cannot qualify as an expert on
Russia. As pleaaant Ll most respects as was my trip, I still had
a sense of foreboding. How much of that was due to what I SAW and
heard and how much to my preconceptions, I am unable to judge.
From all accounts things are much better there than they were, in
terns of human assocl..ations. No one would argue for a moment that
there are many basic freedoms in American. terms. Resident
foreigners, particularly Americans, apparently are still subject to
many petty aoeoyances, although perhaps less than before Stalin',
death. There is some talk, including warnings about being followed
and spied upon. However much of thie is done is apparently done
mostly to foreign xesideute, not to tourists. After ail 1 had a stat4
agent, Alexis, with me all of the time. I didn't fear being followed.
.1 had no ae,,:reis that 1. knew of, and my view, C011iri be had by
anyone for the asking. I did. come away with the feeling, however, that
we of the United States can only profit by learning more about these
Pe?Plc,. that we are foolish to think, 11 we do, that we can separate
them from their regime; that basically we will be more prepared to
dalki with them, individually or through government, if we take them
first as they are and try to learn more about them.
Daddy
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Approved Fol. Release 2002/10/25 : CIA-RDP8060167
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
PERSONAL
June 20, 1957
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Allen Dulles
I am sending over a document
which I received from Arthur
Sulzberger. It was written by
Turner Catledge to his daughters.
After you have had a chance to
read it, would you please return
it to me.
Sherman Adams
arys4,14)
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