Evening star., 1948-11-18
Possibility Of Clash
Between Marines ant
Chinese Reds Exists
Officials Here Refuse
To Attempt TO Give
Answer to Question
By John A. Giles

The question of whether cir
cumstances" might lead bolstered
United States forces in China
into armed conflict with Com
munist troops was left unan-
sWered today.
Defense Secretary Forrestal, an
nouncing at news conference yes
terday that additional Marines
were being sent to China and that
naval transports are arriving there
to evacuate Americans. refused to
answer the question: will the Ma
rines fight the Communists?'
Il would rather not comment on
that" Mr.. Forrestal replied. Their
purpose is to aid in whatever steps
are necessary for evacuation
1880 Going to China.
At the State Department, Press
Officer Michael ]. McDermott said:
The answer is that it all de-
pends on circumstances and there
is no answer now. I don't know
what the answer will be. I can't
pretend to say now what they will
do in certain circumstances"
Mr. Forrestal announced that L.
! 600 Marines were being sent to
China. but the Navy Department
later said the total was 1850 and
that they would be aboard the trans
port Bayfield,, scheduled to leave
Guam about Tuesday. The ship has
passenger capacity of about 1900.
There are $500 Marines in the
Tsingtao garrison now.
Two evacuation transports were
en- route when Mr.. Forrestal made
his announcement, and one of them,
the converted destroyer Gosselin, is
scheduled to dock at Tsingtao from
Shanghai today The other. the
Gen. H. w. Butner, which can carry
more than 5000 persons, will arrive
at Shanghai tomorrow.
1924 Americans in China.
The State Department said there
are 1924 Americans, exclusive of
military personnel. in China.
! Tsingtao, Yellow Sea port at the
base of the Shantung peninsula, is
close to Communist-controlled areas.
Some experts believe that the ad-
vancing Communists can overrun
the city at any time. They already
control the citys water supply.
The primary reason for Marines
in China is to protect American
lives and property and it is assumed
that if shooting between them and
Communists should occur II would be
in carrying out that mission.
The Navy announcement, which
stated that the Marines would
assist in the orderly evacuation
of United States nationals through
the port of Tsingtao," also said
that the garrison there had sup
port aircraft.
The Navy also has Task Force
38-tWo carriers. two cruisers and
two destroyers-in the China area
on what has been described as a
training cruise"
Budgets to Be Offered.
Mr.. Forrestal told his press con-
ference that the armed forces
budgets will be submitted to the
Budget Bureau by November %
and the total is the President s
"prerogative" to announce.
The budgets for the Army, Navy
and Air Forces have been agreed on
by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. and
there will be adjustments" in the
Air Forces 7O-group plane program
and the Nays carrier program.
/. Does the budget mentioned in
| Volve any serious change either in
the carrier program or 10 groups OF
the Air Force that were started
recently?" he was asked.
Well there will be adjustments. u
Mr.. Forrestal said. All of these
programs, of course, have to be
fitted economically to a fiscal pat
tern. The precise details of the
(See MARINES, Page A-5D