The Foreign Service Journal, January-February 2021

12 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL As luck would have it, I had an “assistant vice consul” in my office. He spoke Ukrainian from birth and was the embassy’s informal contact with the Soviet embassy in Helsinki. His bosses were keen to have close contact with the Soviets and were willing to extend unlimited representational funds to this end. Unsurprisingly, so were the KGB ele- ments in the Soviet embassy. This had led to a shameless series of social events involving the two Soviet consular officers and the two of us. We even exchanged dinners in each other’s homes. We introduced our Soviet friends to American bourbon and gin. They brought quantities of vodka and cham- pagne. Sometimes there was food, too. We were all supposed to be consular officers, so we sometimes discussed con- sular matters. As the drinks flowed, we assured each other we would grant visas to the most unlikely prospective visitors to our respective countries with lightning speed. So I reminded my dear colleague of this arrangement when I appeared in his office with six to eight passports and fully completed visa applications. He was as good as his word, and the very next day I proudly presented Messrs. Smallwood, Nixon and company with their passports, fully stamped for a 30-day visit to the USSR. Mr. Nixon’s luck, however, did not hold in Moscow, where his request to visit his old pal Khrushchev was turned down flat. He had no better luck two years later, as described in Jonathan Rick- ert’s amusing recollection. And they say history never repeats itself! Harrison Sherwood FSO, retired Longstanton, Cambridgeshire, England This Is Still My Father’s DACOR John Bradshaw’s article in the Sep- tember FSJ (“This Is Not Your Father’s DACOR,” AFSA News) caught my eye. My husband, son and I recently spent four days in the guest rooms of this his- toric treasure. My late father, Ambassador Sheldon T. Mills, was an early member of DACOR. He championed its raison d’etre with his Foreign Service colleagues and encouraged us to become members at the outset of our own Foreign Service careers. He would have been pleased to see DACOR opening to the wider foreign affairs community. So, in a sense, DACOR is “still my father’s DACOR.” Situated at 1801 F St. NW in Washing- ton, D.C., and built in 1825, the DACOR Bacon House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (shown on some district maps as Ringgold-Carroll House). It boasts a range of treasures from paintings and carpets to teapots and chandeliers. The DACOR Bacon House is a living testament to American history, culture and diplomacy. Its central location offers easy access to the National Mall and its museums and monuments, as well as restaurants. Without sacrificing any of the build- ing’s historic ambience, our stay was made highly satisfying by modern bathrooms, comfortable beds, coffee makers, a micro- wave and quiet surroundings. If one seeks historical and cultural enrichment, we highly recommend a stay at DACOR Bacon House. Linda Mills Sipprelle FSO, retired Princeton, New Jersey n Submit letters to the editor: journal@afsa.org