Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-03-12
The Truman administration

everywhere, Inc
The Truman administration
today stood committed to the
principle of blocking the spread
Of communism everywhere-in-
Guiding China.
On the eve of the anniversary OF
promulgation of the so-called
Truman doctrine" aimed primarily
at keeping Greece and Turkey out
side the iron curtain President
Truman bluntly told a news confer
ence late yesterday that the United
States does not want to see Com
munistS in the government in China
The President also admitted pub
licly for the first time that his hope
of ultimate peace is somewhat
shaken, but added quickly that the
| world could not afford another war.
1t was just year ago today that
Mr.. Truman went before Congress
to ask for $500, 900, 900 to help Greece
fight its internal Communist re-
bellion and to strengthen Turkey
against the political and territorial
demands of Russia. While the
Presidents news conference declar-
alton on China conflicted with the
accepted view that this Govern
ment's policy deductive in December,
1915, had anticipated Nationalist
Communist coalition in that coun-
try, Mr. Truman insisted under
questioning that that never was the
idea
aaE statement preceded. b1na d
few hours another frank discussion
Of the grave state OF international
relations by Secretary of State
Marshall, who told a meeting on the
European Recovery Program at
Washington Cathedral that "the
swoEId is in thu midst of a eEeas.
tis$, inf1amed Wy propaganda
understanding, niger and fear q
The Presidentswas in tfesaudience1
and heard his Secretary of State
couple with his announcement of
crisis and appeal for moderation,
calm thinking and cool judgment
on the part of the American people.
This echoed Mr.. Humans view
expressed at the news conference
when he said that Americans should
be careful not to let their passions
get the best of them before they
know the facts.
The grave words used by the
President and Secretary of State
the latter has spoken out on sue
cessive disappointed to the SER
iousness of a situation which Of
flcials expect to reach a climax first
and most directly in the italian
campaigns leading up to the cleo
tons there April 10.
Fat no time" Secretary Marshall
told the audience which was
brought together by the Federal
Council of Churches OF Christ in
America and the Washington Fed
Grafton of Churches, has it been
so important for cool judgment, for
an appeal to ones self for a proper
sense Of justice, for a realization of
conditions, material, political and
spiritual in other parts of the
world.
The Presidents discussion of for
eign policy was touched by a re-
minder of the Truman doctrine an
niversary and question as toI
whether he felt the doctrine needs
expanding.
He replied that he does not think
so.
The so-called Truman doctrine,
he went on, was in fact preliminary
to the European Recovery Program.
And If that program is carried out
promptly 1t will accomplish the
aims of the doctrine-that is, toI
help free nations everywhere toI
withstand the external and internal
assaults of communism.
This question LED to another.
Does Mr.. Truman still feel as much |
confidence as he had expressed last
December in the eventual achieve
ment of world peace?
Solemnly the President conceded
that his faith has been somewhat |
shaken.
But he added that he still believes
real peace can be attained. And |
it must be obtained because the
world cannot afford the destruction
of another great war, he declared.
The only reference to the Com
seizure of power in Czecho-
slovakia came indirectly when the
President was asked to comment on
the death of Czech Foreign Minister
Jan Masaryk two days ago.
Awaits Formal Report.
Mr.. Truman recalled that he had
been well acquainted with Mr.. Mas |
aryk, said he felt very bad about his
death but added that people should
be very careful, as Gen. Marshall
had suggested at news conference
Wednesday, not to let their passions
get the better part of them before
they know all the facts. Lacking a !
formal report on the matter, he
could not comment officially, Mr.. |
Truman added.
In this, the President presumably
reflected the uncertainty on the part
of State Department officials over
whether Mr.. Masaryk killed himself
or whether he was murdered.
Then the colloquy turned to
China, the question of policy arising |
just "a hours after Secretary
Marshall discussed this at a news
4