FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, in a widely-reprinted article written for the June, 1971 issue of Veterans of Foreign Wars Magazine, warned that "the shadows of pro-Peking subversion are daily becoming a more serious problem in this country."
The article said that the People's Republic of China is attempting to "introduce deep cover intelligence agents into the United States, trained Peking agents who clandestinely enter this country using false identities and identifications and attempt under the cover of being an American to conduct spy operations."
"Penetration of Chinese ethnic groups is also tried," he wrote. "The over-whelming majority of Chinese Americans are loyal to this country, and only a very small percentage are loyal to Peking."
Troubles
Hoover had originally planned to conduct a wider distribution of pamphlet-style reprints of this article. After President Nixon announced his plans to travel to the People's Republic, however, the plans were dropped for "budgetary reasons," Hoover said.
Below is the full test of the FBI leaflet, as translated by E. Perry Link and another member of CCAS:
Announcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States:
Now that you have settled in America, you are not only entitled to enjoy the various blessings of America's free political system, but in addition will be able to shoulder the responsibilities of protecting these free traditions.
Since you have personally experienced the suffering and bondage which is perpetrated by tyrannical communist rule, you must by now certainly be able to realize in a profound way how valuable freedom is and how terrifying and detestable communism is.
Communists frequently engage in secret activities within America's borders and plot to destroy the free traditions of America, and while our bureau is on constant alert and pays close attention to these matters, from now on you too may join in our defense against communism. We hope you will note the following:
1. If while in America you become aware of communists or Maoist spies who are engaged in intelligence work or destructive and subversive activities, you are urgently requested to telephone the local branch of the FBI at once. (The telephone number will be clearly listed in the first two or three pages of the regular telephone directory of any city.)
2. You are requested to make your report based on hard facts known to you: do not become confused by hearsay.
3. It will suffice for you simply to report what you know; do not carry out your own investigations. You must realize that investigation is a specialized and sophisticated profession, and if ordinary people attempt it they not only risk their own safety but also risk startling the snake from his hiding.
Should you have anything to communicate, please inform the local branch of this bureau immediately. Local branch telephone: 742-5533.--(J. Edgar) Hoover Director, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation