The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-03-10
Observations
Chinese Ambassador,
Wife Make Study Of
American Customs
BY Helen Essary


tons in Washington are wondering
why they haven't been smarter in
the past at their job of learning
America.
Until the war strain on interna.
tlonal relations set everybody who
can read and write to thinking OF
how to get on with Tor get ahead
of other people Ito my own best
advantage, the representatives Of
foreign nations stationed in this
capital have often limited their ac-
quaintances in the United States
TO a few narrow groups. This dim
custom, so ! understand, has also
been followed by many OF our dip
lomIts abroad.
Most embassies and legations in
Washington lately have changed
this stuff-shirtish policy and are 60
ing in briskly for finding out about
all sorts Of Americans, The most
conspicuously successful foreign
ers of this new group Of behavior
are the Chinese. They are really
learning America-or rather, the
tinted States Applying them,
selves TO the task or getting under
the glowing American skin as dog
gedly as the rich pre.war Chinese
used TO school their sons for Oxford
and a study Of correct English folk.
lore and customs.
The present representative ri
China. Ambassador Wei Tao-minG,
and his brilliant wife are certainly
modern examples OF China's 1874
Open Door policy. Both OF them,
especially Madame Wei. are de-
termined TO meet as many kinds OF
Americans as it is possible within
the limits of dignity, time and
space.
There Is never a meal, except OF
course when they are accepting
hospitality elsewhere, when the am
bassador and his wife do not have
guests at the embassy in Woodiey
Road. The dinner and lunch par
ties are generally large. Some
times they number 80 or so people.
For breakfast there are seldom
more than four or six guests. In
addition 10 these formal and in
formal gatherings the ambassador
and his wife give many afternoon
and evening receptions.
The guests on these varied oc-
casions are not chosen from pared
down lists" controlled by profess
sianal secretaries who would rath-
or die than not be chic. They in
clude a greater variety OF people
than any Washington embassy has
ever welcomed before within its
doors.
Smart diplomats realize. so one
OF my knowing friends in the State
Department tells me, that you
learn more about a country and
what it is thinking from people
who have not yet arrived than
from old smoothies, who fancying
themselves important and in the
know and who tell nothing to no
body. The newcomers. not hay-
ing found out how to hide their
thoughts, unwittingly reveal public
opinion.
The best source OF news and of
gossip. which is the beginning of
news, is the ladies' lunch. At din
ners and cocktail parties women
have TO work at being fascinating
because men are present and may
! say vice versa" And il is hard
for a shrewd diplomat or reporter
either TO find out what anybody
present thinks about anything.
Watching Nine. Wei at one OF
her own charming luncheons Is
one Of the most fascinating pas
times Washington has TO offer. She
is about the livellest thing in town.
Likewise the smallest. She is gay
and informal and friendly and con-
stantly alert to her job OF making
friends for China.
At Twin Oaks, the embassadorial
residence. Nine. Wei, the wife of
an embassy secretary and perhaps
Nine. VAIN, who directs public re-
lations, distaff side, await the
guests in the center hall. AS each
guest steps inside the door OF the
house. she sees instantly Nine.
Wei and her assistants standing
with hands out-stretched smiling
an animated greeting;
At a recent luncheon, Hostess
Wei, in her snug-ftting Chinese
costume Of beige brocade, figured
deligately in jade and accented by
fat jade earrings and very high
heeled jadS green shoes. seemed to
be in a dozen places at once.
The guests were seated at Ia
bles Of eight. Nine. Wei first at
one table. Then moved on to other
tables.
The guests those the first lunch.
con course from about a dozen
plates OF Chinese hors d'oeuyres.
shrimp and pork tenderlolns and
hsh eggs and heaven knows what
else. cooked to Chinese taste.
Cheerfully informal Nine. Wei
picked a small piece Of the work
in her fingers and said TO her
guests: zee. eat 1t this way with
out the bother Of knife and fork
II tastes better So" The guests
ate the broiled baby pigeons with
out fingers. too.
The guests left feeling friendlier
toward China than when they had