Monday, 7 September

Hot

According to Der Abend, Beria had been betrayed by his wife who had furnished proof to Malenkov which justifies the arrest. This news has been given out by diplomatic representatives of the satellite states in Moscow. Klugov, the new minister of the secret police, is a cousin of Mrs. Beria and had played the role of the intermediary. It is therefore not strange that she has not been arrested and a Scandinavian diplomat actually met her on 15 July, five days after the official announcement of her husband’s arrest at Voloada, five hundred kilometres from Moscow. She can move about quite freely. The worst part about the life of a communist is that he cannot trust even those who are dearest to him.

Invited Mr. and Mrs. Wei Daoming to lunch at the restaurant. We talked about the good old days. They seemed very bitter towards Song Ziwen and told me:

1) A common friend of his in the diplomatic circle was invited recently by him for dinner. During the whole evening, Ziwen looked unhappy and worried and told his friend that he had lost over US$300,000 in speculation. The friend, who is a South American, was very much shocked – not only at the loss but also at the open confession of such deeds by an ex-official of a nation now in such a miserable state.

2) A few years ago, when Ziwen was president of the Executive Yuan, he went to the United States on a special mission.  When he arrived in New York, the first thing he did was to telephone to ask about the stock market. The wire was tapped, and the American government was very much disgusted and told Wei so. Wei was then our ambassador.

3) When the Legislative Yuan attacked Ziwen and demanded his presence at the Yuan meeting for cross-examination, President Chiang had sent for Ziwen.  [Chiang] advised him not to go and told him to resign. Ziwen asked, “who is to take my place?” as if no one else could do so. Chiang replied “I’ll do it.” Ziwen was furious, saying he would resign but that he would go to the Legislative Yuan. Then he left abruptly.  So he went to the Legislative Yuan, but the result was that he got such bitter attacks that he almost fainted and could not even climb up to his car when he left. I hold no brief for Song Ziwen but the Wei’s are not the people to attack him. Wei also spoke of the way Chen Yi governed Taiwan. Several thousand citizens had been executed without trial. Soumay was full of praise for her husband’s work in Washington and in Taiwan but I doubt any impartial observer would agree with her.

Wrote to Zhongxiong telling him of my letter to Jincheng (re mortgage of No.1. Fuk San Lane) and asked him to write to me once a week to practise his English. I will write to him in English too.

One Geng Xi (耿熙) called at the restaurant. He had opened the Shanghai restaurant in Lyon (25, rue Franklin) a few months ago and is doing quite well.

Business is quite good today.