429. Telegram 1320 from Geneva1
1320. From Gowen.
US-Chinese talks.
Representative Chinese Communist ConGen Geneva called today and handed me letter from Wang saying I might open it in absence Johnson as matter “very urgent.” English text which accompanied Chinese text reads “Geneva December 28. Ambassador Johnson: Liu Yung-ming was Chinese student of bridge construction engineering Missouri University. He arrived in USA in 1947 and passed M.A. in 1949. In May 1949 he applied for return to China but he was not only prevented from leaving USA but also was regarded (sic) in mental disorder and sent to state hospital no. 4, Farmington, Missouri. From hospital he wrote his wife saying ‘no freedom at all. No freedom for writing letters, separated from outside, nobody comes see me. Eagerly hope get out of this hell and return to arms my mother country as early as possible’. Since latter part of 1950 his family has never heard anything from him. His wife has once and again written and inquired of the hospital. Hospital merely replied occasionally that he would leave hospital as soon as he recovered. Since 1951 even replies from hospital were cut off. Recently I received letter from his family in which above situation mentioned. You are requested to make investigation into this serious matter and give me satisfactory answer. Signed Wang Ping-nan.”
Understand Johnson will return Geneva on or about January 10.
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 611.93/12–2855. Confidential; Priority.↩