M. MAISKY MOBBED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 5 August 1941, Page 4

M. MAISKY MOBBED

ENTHUSIASM IN LONDON SCENES AT CHINESE DINNER London, July 19. A cheering crowd mobbed M. Maisky, j the Russian Ambassador, and Mme. | Maisky in London's West End last : night, writes Paul Brewster in the “Daily Mail.” They were leaving a Chinese restaurant in Soho, where a dinner in aid of the Chinese campaign j had been given. And they found the street blocked. For half an hour the crowd had waited. Men anu women in evening dross, j who had attended this “bowl of rice” dinner, jostled with people in working clothes. The smiling, bearded face of M. Maisky appeared at the door. Besicie ! him stood Mme. Maisky, smartly dressed in a floral summer frock and purple straw hat with purple veil. i “Maisky! Maisky!*’ yelled the i crowd, and those at the front rushed j . toward them. Dozens of hands shook; those of the Ambassador and his wife, j Excited people patted them on the ( back. Eventually, police fought a way to their car. and the two drove away through a lane of waving hands. FAMOUS DIPLOMATS PRESENT The dinner was to mark the appointment of Dr Wellington Koo as Ambassador to Britain, and the beginning of China's fifth year of war against Japanese aggression. Famous diplomatic figures found themselves called on to eat “chop suey” with chopsticks, in the glare of arc lamps and before a battery of film cameras. M. Maisky put up the best performance. After a short instruction from his neighbour. Dr Koo. he ate the bam boo shoots and rice with his chopsticks with a dignified elegance. Lord Cecil—who presided —gave in and used a spoon and fork, and so did Lady Violet Bonham-Carter, daughtei of the late Lord Oxford and Asquith. Many Chinese men and women, ir. national dress, attended the dinner. In response to insistent shouts. M. Maisky reluctantly made a speech. TURNING-POINT OF WAR “I am afraid I am going to disappoint you to-night.’’ he said, “but from the bottom of my heart I want to express my gratitude to all of you for the friendly feeling toward my country which has animated your insistent desire. “I think this is nut the time yet—nor the occasion—to talk to you at length, even at this great hour which has arisen. I am sure that the great battle now taking place in the East is the turning-point of this war, and on the outcome of this battle depends not only the future of my own country, but tho future of the whole world.” A roar of applause came after this, and there were cries of “Viva Russia!” Lord Cecil spoke of China’s “magni ficent struggle.” Now. he said, there had been set up a great quadrilateral of . liberty, comprising China. Russia. America and the British Empire. Dr Koo said that, paradoxical as it [ might sound, it was true that the i Chinese Army to-day' was larger, better J i equipped, and more efficient in dealing ; with the enemy. That was one of the rersons for the striking failure of the so-called spring offensive launched b, the Japanese Army after months of preparation.