Over the Teacups

To all Chinese diplomatic missions in Europe, Red China's suave Foreign Minister Chou En-lai had sent a circular urging them to switch their allegiance from the Nationalist to the Communist government before it was "too late." In the huge, yellowing embassy on the dignified Avenue George V in Paris, there was warm discussion over the teacups: Ambassador Tsien Tai favored accepting the Communist invitation.

Echoes of the discussion reached the Nationalist government in China, which promptly dispatched an icy notice of dismissal to Ambassador Tsien. That brought his followers out into the open: nine of the ten embassy staff members publicly announced that they had switched allegiance to the Communists, called on other Chinese diplomats to join them against "warmongers." Radio Peiping was delighted, but the French government was not. It withdrew diplomatic recognition from the renegade nine, and the Nationalist government dispatched a smiling troubleshooter named Tuan Mao-Ian from the London embassy to take charge of the Paris situation.

Politely, Tuan asked the nine to come back into the Nationalist fold or else clear out of the embassy. Three eventually changed sides again, reaffirmed their allegiance to the Kuomintang. Six remained adamant. To deal with them, said Tuan, reinforcements would arrive this week from the still loyal missions in London, Brussels and The Hague. Said Counselor George Mong (the rebels' ringleader): "Tuan is one of my oldest and dearest friends. If, in the end, he tosses me out, there will be nothing personal in it."

Sadly, Troubleshooter Tuan considered the causes of the diplomats' defection. "It was not that the staff of this embassy has not been paid since last June," he mused. "It has been demonstrated that Chinese diplomats can go unpaid for a whole year without damage to morale. It is perhaps a desire to keep in touch with the homeland, perhaps a political disagreement."

In Washington, the State Department heard that a messenger from Canton had been sent to Europe, with a suitcase full of back pay for Chinese diplomats.

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