Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, China, Volume III

294. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs (Robertson) to the Secretary of State¹

Washington, November 16, 1957.

SUBJECT

• Travel to Communist China of Relatives of American Prisoners

I have received a letter from Mrs. Mary Downey (Tab A²) renewing an earlier request that she be permitted to travel to Communist China to visit her son John Downey, one of the remaining six American prisoners there, who is under sentence of life imprisonment. Mrs. Downey’s letter is based upon an erroneous article³ in the Christian Science Monitor alleging that Chou En-lai had told Dag Hammarskjold that the American fliers would be released if relatives were allowed to visit them. I am writing Mrs. Downey to correct the report in the Monitor article and I think this would be an appropriate occasion to review our policy with respect to travel of relatives of Americans imprisoned in Communist China.

Chou En-lai’s original offer in January, 1955 to provide facilities for travel of relatives was made primarily with respect to the 15 imprisoned fliers and Downey and Fecteau. It was decided at that time, chiefly because of the excessively belligerent actions and attitude of the Chinese Communists, not to authorize travel by relatives (Tab B⁴). The Communists have never withdrawn this invitation and, in a letter from the Chinese Communist Red Cross on May 7, 1956 (Tab C⁵) to the wife of Robert McCann indicated that the invitation applied to the relatives of all imprisoned Americans.

The immediate threat of Chinese Communist military action which influenced our decision in January, 1955 has somewhat diminished although the basic considerations against permitting general travel of Americans to Communist China remain unchanged. Nevertheless, there are cogent arguments in favor of withdrawing objection to relatives making the trip. There are only four prisoners whose relatives might be inclined to go, the other two being Catholic priests under five year sentences which will presumably be up in June, 1958. (See attached list Tab D⁶). These four are under long-term sentences and there is no reason on the basis of recent Chinese Communist behavior to anticipate their early releases. It is conceivable that the Peiping authorities might take advantage of a visit by relatives to release one or more of these prisoners, although this prospect cannot be considered likely. However, it seems most unlikely that a visit by relatives at this point would damage the prospects of the prisoners for release and withdrawal of United States Government objection to such visits would serve to demonstrate to the relatives and others that the government had taken every possible step to promote release of the prisoners.

There are obvious risks in this change of policy. It would mean another breach in our prohibition of American travel to Communist China and, coming close on the heels of authorization to A. L. Wirin⁷ to travel there, it would probably be interpreted in some quarters as the beginning of a softening in our policy. However, in view of the very special circumstances of relatives of prisoners it should be possible to hold the line against any further exceptions.

It is possible that the Chinese Communists would demand a concession from the United States in exchange for permitting entry of the relatives, such as requiring intergovernmental arrangements to be made for the visits or attempting to equate ordinary Chinese convicts in this country with the American prisoners by demanding reciprocal rights for visits by relatives of such Chinese convicts. However, I believe we could handle any such demands so as to cause them to work to the Chinese Communist propaganda disadvantage.

. . . . . . .

Recommendation:

That you approve notification of the relatives that we are now prepared to issue them passports valid for travel to Communist China.⁸

Approved: JFD

1. Source: Department of State, CA Files: Lot 60 D 648, Family Visits, 1957. Confidential. Drafted by Clough. Cleared by Clough with Deputy Assistant Secretary Jones of FE, Assistant Secretary Berding of PA, Legal Adviser Loftus E. Becker, and Roderic L. O’Connor, Administrator of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs.
2. Dated November 6; attached but not printed.
3. A copy of the relevant portion of this article was enclosed with Mrs. Downey’s letter to Robertson.
4. A copy of Department of State press release 50, January 27, 1955, which contained the text of a letter of the same date from Secretary Dulles to the families of the U.S. flyers imprisoned in China, was attached as Tab B, not printed. See Department of State Bulletin, February 7, 1955, p. 214.
5. Not printed.
6. The list attached at Tab D, not printed, contains the names of the six remaining Americans imprisoned in China.
7. See footnote 7, Document 231.
8. A December 6 Department of State press release on the question of travel by relatives of Americans imprisoned in China reads as follows: “Following consideration of renewed requests from certain relatives of Americans imprisoned in Communist China for passports in order to visit them, the Department of State has decided to issue passports, not restricted as regards travel to Communist China, to such close relatives as apply for passports for this purpose.” (Department of State Bulletin, December 23, 1957, p. 999)