PEN INTERNATIONAL WRITERS CONFERENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00423R001900220001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 29, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: May 1, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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SEE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL SPECIAL CONTROLS, IF ANY
erial contains information affecting the
United States within th
I the e
meaning of the Esp we, Title 18, U.S.C.
Secs. 793 and 794, the trans revelation
of which in any manner to an unaut
son is prohibited by law.
WO KMAAT1 6 hiliE PO RTNational
PREPARED AND DISSEMINATED BY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
COUNTRY
East Pakistan/International
REPORT NO. 25X1A2g
SUBJECT
Pen International Writers Conference
DATE DISTRIBUTED
,/ May 55
NO. OF PAGES NO. OF ENCLS.
3
SUPPLEMENT TO REPORT #
RESPONSIVE TO
00/C-
DATE ACQUIRED (By source)
March 1955
DATE OF INFORMATION (Date or dates, on or between which,
events or conditions described in report existed)
24 - 25 February 1955
1. The first
successfully
observers,
participated
and Literature"
country
2. The conference
Dr. Mahmud
Vice-Chancellor
of East
3. Principal
Secretary
Beer, secretary-general
the Executive
Singapore
Das, Indian
Maria Yen,
in Hongkong;
Ninmftnhaeminda
West Pakistan
4. A book
successful.
University
by Franklin
Pen (publications
all. Since
largest
5. The conference
grumbling
and tension
Students_
only immediate
of a Bengali
the student
demonstratins!)
ud
stent
the studentkAndne
THIS is UNEVALUATED iNFORmATIoN
Asian conference of the Pen International
last week in Dacca. Altogether, BOUM
representing East and West Pakistan
in the three-day (Feb. 24-26) conference,
as its main theme and "The Liberary
as the subject of primary interest.
was opened by His Excellency the
Husain, former Education Minister of
of Dacca University; and Dr. Md.
Pakistan Pen also made opening speeches-.
foreign participants were: David Carnet,
of Pen; Malcolm Muggeridge, British,
of the French Pen; Richard
Board of New York Pen; Dr. Ho Yung
Pen; Jun Takami, and Michio Takeyamai
Pen; Joseph Chu, Korean Pen (not yet
Hongkong, vho is now organizing a Free
Juan C. Tuvera, Philippine Writers
and Nilawan Pinthong, Thailand;
Pen.
exhibition held in connection with the
Largest exhibits were by USIA, British
(rare books), "American Publishers"
publishers), Orient Longman's Council
from several centers) -- probably
the exhibit was arranged in a Dacca.
number of visitors came from among the
went off quite smoothly, in spite
by non-Pen writers and leftists, and
canned by the February 21st arrest
for their over-enthusiastic celebration
effect of this incident on the conference
folk opera planned for the delegates
castwere thrown in jail for participating
and the.-~llation of most of
lectures._ ,Otilillc4tFr?L9 ch was
Writers concluded
50 delegates
and 10 foreign countries,
which had
Scene in each
Governor of East
Pakistan; Dr. W.
Shahidullah, President
British, International
Editor of Punch;
and
"Religion
Bengal;
A. Jenkins,
Jean de
of
Kishore
from
and
in
the
excitement
The
cancellation'
of
planned
to
0 MAY 1955
Taplinger, member
Chi, president,
Tokyo Pet; Nola
officially recognized);
Chinese Pen center
Association; Sukit
'seven delegates
Conference was quite
Council, Dacca
:(250 volumes collected
of the Mosque,
2,000 volumes
University hall,
tanks of the students.
of some jealous
in spite of the
of 219 University
of Martyr's Day.
was the
(because some
in the -student
the delegates'
allowed to speak
it off very neil.2
se:to' '.-: ried
iftwg.. l . ,1 lai effissnmi.,
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6. Miss Yen, a recent convert to Catholicism, spent much time among the
local Catholics, and was tremendously successful in informal conversation
with students and young writers, many of them leftists. She also
spoke to some 50 women of the Begum club, (sponsored by Begum magazine
for women), as did the Thai woman editor, Miss Vinthong. Jean de
Beer later addressed Pen members in Lahore and Karachi.
7. Parties for the delegates included a reception at Government House,
one by East Pakistan Pen, one by the Urdu writers' association, one
by the Press Club) one by the Editor's Association, one by the
Chairman of Dacca Municipality, and one by Dacca University student
volunteers whose devoted efforts were largely responsible for the
success of the conference.
8. The "Religion and Literature" papers did not produce anything substantial,
except that Taplinger's report on Religious Book Publishing in the USA
opened many eyes to American activities and interests in this field.
9. Great interest was expressed in all the papers dealing with the literary
situation in the Asian countries represented, especially on the part of
the western delegates present.
10. The delegates and observers passed a'resolution for submission to the
April Executive Council meeting of the International Pen, requesting
the opening of Pen centers in all Asian countries where they do not now
exist, and requesting that the World Congress of Pen be held in Asia
(for the first time) in 1956. Singapore Fen's president will personally
present an invitation to the Congress at this April meeting.
11. The conference appears to have laid the foundation for expansion of Pen
centers in Asia, and for an increased appreciation of Asian literary
efforts in the West; this was primary objective which seems to have been
successfully achieved.
12. Conflicts between Pen centers in East and West Pakistan, and between Pen
and non-Pen writers in East Pakistan, were brought into clear focus as
a result of the conference. A series of meetings in Karachi after the
conference seem to have resolved most of the differences so East Pakistan
has agreed not to submit to International Pen a request for separate
recognition.
13. As a result of the conference, a number of non-Pen writers of East
Pakistan have already been enrolled as members and other desirable
writers will be taken in gradually to broaden the base of Pen here.
14. A brief appraisal of the Asian delegates follows:
a- Maria Yen, Hong Kong -- easily the most effective, most
influential, and most admired person at the conference, by
delegates, observers, students, and others vho mat her.
b. Joseph Chu, Korea -- the most gregarious, sympathetic, and
Interested person; the one who rade the most contacts; deeply
appreciated for his sincere appreciation of all he saw and all
the Pakistanis did to acquaint him with their country.
c. Dr. Ho Yung Chi, Singapore -- friendly, erudite, well-liked
particularly among the educators present and among the delegates
.themselves.
rills onevallated inforriation for OS Officials
into tot
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d. Juan Tuvera, Philippines -- quiet, apparently too humble among
the older writers, but extremely well-liked by the younger writers
and students with whom he came in contact.
e. Pinthong and Nimmanhaeminda, Thailand -- not as sociable an the
others, hence not as much reaction, but very pleasant and friendly.
Takami and Takeyama, Japan -- the former read one of the best
papers at the conference, but the Japanese consul vas no solicttous
of these delegates that he monopolized them with the result that
they had too little contact with the delegates, and virtually none
with the people in general.
Muggeridge and Carver - the former kept the conference in a jovial
mood, was considered by most as the star of the conference; this
in spite of the fact that he Bade some =necessarily unkind cuts
for the sake of a gag. Carver is the prototype of the Sartorial
Colonial; except for the official blessings his presence bestowed
upon the conference, he 'would not have been missed.
15. Ideologically, the conference produced no heat and little light, largely
because of the presence of substantially like-minded delegates. A last-
minute decision of some strongly leftist Indian delegates to stay away
from the conference eliminated the probability of controversy. Thus there
was not even a trace of the pro-Communist tone which prevailed in the
Curzon Hall literary conference of ten months ago. The present conference
was partly motivated by a desire to offset the damage done by last year's
conference which, ironically, was presided over by the same man who
presided over this one, Dr. Md. Shahidullah
--end--
A 1- ATE ItifIl-Tfli-BATE
,
2 0 mAy ibss
This unevaluated information for US Officials
Only is stead fEr ,Irstie interest of
your
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