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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 30, No. 1. 1967.

Party with red guards

Party with red guards

"Today we saw a commune and I am completely stunned by the intensive agriculture everywhere in the area . . . it's without a doubt far more intense than Japan, with every square yard being utilised.

"Tonight we had a party with over 200 Red Guards . . . again an overwhelming experience.

"The Red Guards were all university students about our own age. Some spoke English, most did not, but there were many interpreters. The re-ception was held in our huge hotel lobby and there were red flags and portraits of Mao at all crucial places on the walls. The total number of people sitting in the room must have been a little under 300 when all the visiting students, Red Guards, interpreters and officials, were counted. We sat at tables about 20 to a table.

"After a speech, Red Guards led the whole assembly in quotations from Mao. (They always start their meeting this way.) Then proceeded a series of items, many of them praising Mao, Mao's thoughts, the unity of the peasants and the progress since the revolution. The only other items (and they always have them) indicated of aggression against American imperialism. After the items we all drank tea and ate supper while discussing freely and informally with the Red Guards at our table.