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On the 22nd this Consulate-Deneral was informed by General Ting Chih-pan and also by the U.3. Consulate-General that demonstratims would take place during the morning of that day. General Ting assured me that the demonstraters (mostly students) would make a considerable amount of noise but that the proceedings would be of a peaceful nature. A special police guard was detailed to keep the demonstrators within prescribed limits and it was understood that a body of soldiers would be standing by. Incidentally, one U.S. Consul asked permission to be present and be granted a "ringside" seat!!
All gates to the compound were guarded by consular messengers with orders to bolt them when and if the demonstrators appeared. Fire fighting equipment was checked. At 9.30 a.A. it began to snow and get colder. By 11 o'clock (zero hour for the demonstration) nothing had happened and office work proceeded normally. At 12 noon it was obvious that the project had been abandoned. Subsequently, severely cold conditions seemed to have cooled the ardour of the would-be agitators and, in fact, it might be said that the whole project was literally "snowed under".