ABSTRACT
January 3: Pretty well caught up in office. Harrison Arnold hasn’t turned up yet; he had boiler trouble at his house, and is moving. Dr. called and we talked 1-1/2 hours. He was in Norwegian army uniform (Colonel, Medical Corps) and has just come from Korea. He left Canton last May. Was not allowed to take his little 3-year old Chinese daughter (adopted) with him. She was a tiny foundling left on a Canton street where he picked her up. “Volo” wants to go back to the Far East – preferably to Hongkong, and continue his work among the very poor. He says the only sure way – and it is, he thinks, a certain way – to stop Communism is by loving and helping the poor. He is the nearest thing to Christ I have ever met. In his own way very like Albert Schweitzer. I don’t know whether Volodosky is or is not a Christian in theology or belief, but he is a Christian in charity and in action. He described the “Hate America” week in Canton, when Chinese like Dr. Amos Wong at Hackett, and many others, had to make speeches denouncing Americans. He himself was denounced by one of his Chinese doctors! He, who has done more good to more poor Chinese than any Chinese in this generation. Volodosky said that several Chinese Customs men were arrested, but he does not know their fate. Hundreds of executions have taken place, and the whole atmosphere of Canton is one of fear. The Communists have stabilized the currency, improved sanitation and public health, and enlarged the public utilities. The people (who welcomed the Communists in 1949) are thoroughly disillusioned, and would gladly take back the rotten old KMT government if they could. Volo says that conditions in the refugee camps on our side in Korea are disgraceful in the extreme. The Americans in charge are inexperienced in Oriental ways, and there is widespread theft of rice, etc., while refugees go hungry. The upper class Koreans, like the upper class Chinese, care nothing for the suffering of the poor. Volo saw Norm Meiklejohn in Washington. He leaves Saturday for Geneva (to check out of W.H.O.), then goes to Oslo, and hopes to return here in about 6 weeks.
