SIXTEEN YEARS IN CHINA

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 17

SIXTEEN YEARS IN CHINA

IN ZPA -Reuter—Copyright) HONG KONG, May 27.

The American Korean war “turncoat,” Clarence Adams, said today he volunteered to do “Tokyo Rose” type of propaganda for the Viet Cong during his stay in Peking.

The 37-year-old Negro from Tennessee, told a press conference that he made two recordings for the South Vietnam National Liberation Front “That is because the United States Congress has not declared war in Vietnam,” he said.

For this reason, he added, he did not see why there should be any legal action against him on his return to

the United States with his Chinese wife and two children after 13 years of self-imposed exile.

Adams said his recordings were directed at American Negro soldiers in Vietnam. “1 told them they were fighting the wrong war,” he said. He believed that United States involvement in the Vietnam war was not in the interest of the country and Negroes would do better to fight for more freedom in the United States. Adams, who chose to live in China with 20 other United States soldiers at the end of the Korean war. said he had considered returning to the United States for some time. He said that he was homesick and wanted to see his mother, whom he had not seen for the last 16 years. “The Chinese were glad to see me leave because of my

contacts in the African Embassies,” he said. “1 made the contacts myself because life is much more fun in the Embassies.” Adams said he studied Chinese in Wuhan where he met and married his wife in 1957 before going to Peking He was employed as a translator for the last five years in the foreign languages press He said his monthly wages were 206 yuan, compared to 60-70 yuan for a Chinese doing similar work Life in Peking was better now than a few years ago, with more things on the market. Salaries, however, remained “stagnant” but there were no price rises. “I can't say the people are content.” Adams said. “It’s human nature to want more and the living standard is still pretty low.” Adams said the Chinese believed that the United States

would launch an attack against them at any time. He said that they had made ail possible military preparations and were even digging air raid shelters in Peking “But the Chinese are not too anxious to fight," he commented. “And I don't think the United States is foolish enough to move into a land war with the Chinese." Adams said he had no regrets for the things he had done. He said that he still believed there was discrimination against his Negro unit in the Korean war.

“It was left standing in the rain in the retreat from Pusan." But Adams said he felt com munism was only good for some people, not all. He added: “1 missed the free and easy ways of the United States.