September 1942. New York City. "First Chinese seamen granted shore leave
in wartime America. Chinese seamen on United Nations vessels may now
obtain shore leave in American ports. Heretofore, because of the large
number of desertions by Chinese crew members, alien seamen of Chinese
nationality have been detained on board when their ships touched
American ports. As a result of conferences between representatives of
the Chinese Embassy, the Recruitment and Manning Organization of War
Shipping Administration, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service
of the Department of Justice, Chinese seamen may now be granted shore
leave if guarantees are given that they will not desert. Lee Ah Ding
(left) and Yee Chee Ching, Chinese seamen from a British freighter, try
typical American food for the first time. Yee took a hot dog in stride,
but Lee refused to have anything to do with this strange foreign food.
He did, however, drink a Coke with relish." Really, a hot dog with
relish probably would have been better. Photo by Edward Gruber, Office
of War Information
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