Evening star., 1949-12-18

O11S S4A S1C "AAISA1 c4iSy AAo'S
us since VI day.
on wishful thinking and emotional
quests for more men, more equip
ment and more ships in the South
Pacific denied or left unanswered,
but we did not even receive, in the
Philippines for instance, essen
tial medical supplies in sufficient
quantities.
when the French in Indo-
China, realizing the danger of a
japanese attack. decided to break
away from Vichy and sent rep
resentative to Washington with
sizable check to purchase tanks
and other essential equipment for
stand against japanese in
vasion, he was sent back empty
handed. The United States was
neutral, he was informed officially
Unofhcially he was told that we
could not risk incurring the Jap
anese anger by permitting the
French forces in Indo-China to
improve their armament.
Threat to Japan
1--WE are obviously playing the
same game now, only the stakes
are much. higher. We must pre-
vent the Russians from taking
over Formosa through their Chi
nese puppets. It is highly doubt
full that we will do this. Formosa
in the hands of the Russians
means such a serious threat to
Japan that it is highly doubtful
that we could maintain ourselves
with the four divisions we have
there at present.
be directly threatened and we
shall have to take the necessary
steps to move out rather than
meet with another disaster. Japan
itself may become another Bataan
if the Russians decide in the near
future to change from cold to a
SnOOLllS war.
"The position of the Philippines
will be even more untenable than
it was in 1912 if the Russians get
Formosa. No direct attack will
be needed to cut short the life of
the newly created independent re-
public. Men and equipment will
be sent to the nucleus of some
10000 Communist agents in the
Philippines and it will not take
much of an effort to make those
islands democratic peoples re-
public .. ..
Siberian Positions Manned
+ The loss Of China and Man.
churia has removed the last YES
tiee of fear in the Russian gen.
eral staff of a potential American
counterattack against the newly
established industrial centers east
Of the Urals. The Russians are
now consolidated in Manchuria
and are running it for their own
account, with a few very submis-
sive Chinese stooges as window
dressing. 1t is only since they
took over that rich province that
they have begun to man their po-
sitions in Eastern Siberia facing
Alaska. where they have today at
least three parachute divisions
and a number of excellent air
fields.
Does Washington believe that
these serious efforts the Kremlin
is making are for the purpose of
playing pinochle? Do the gentle
men in the State Department be-
lieve that these efforts repre-
sent only a phase of the war Of
nerves? Do they seriously imag-
inc that India will offer us bese
to defend our Pacific Coast? Do
they realize what will happen to
India once the Communists have
occupied Tibet and are in position
to penetrate the plateau of the
subcontinent?
Nobody can deny India's spirit
ual strength. But we still live in
an era when military strength
takes precedence over the spirit
ual virtures of nation. If Wash
ington believes that the epic of
the Pacific can be repeated in the
event of another war, 1t is sadly
mistaken. At best, it places a
burden on the military potential
of the United States, which has
never been equaled in the history
of any other country. We should
have been forewarned already that
the Russians are far more tricky
than the Japanese. Are we never
going to heed warnings before
the storm breaks out?"
Means Now Lacking
These views, expressed in a
private letter. are fully shared by
many military men in Washing
ton. But there is nothing that
can be done at the present time.
With a budgetary deficit Of nearly
So. .000. 100000, big cuts must be
made in the military establish
ment. Furthermore, we have OBJ
iligated ourselves to provide the
members of the Atlantic pact with
the means to reorgapize their
armed forces.
i Whether the forces of the At
lantic pact members can be forged
into an effective fighting team
capable of holding back the Red
armies If a war breaks out-an
event which general staff officers
in Britain and France predict not
later than 1952-is a question
which only experience can answer.
Present evaluations, based on re-
lalities, rather than wishful think
ing, do not permit an optimistic
forecast, however. There are hui
man factors in the Western Eu-
ropean setup which have not been
taken into consideration either in
the reports from governments di-
:. rectly concerned or from our Of