Evening star., 1949-08-16
M0SC0W'S CHANCE IN IND0NESIA
By S. Burton Heath
NEA Staff Correspondent

BY 5. Burton Heath
NEA Staff Correspondent
". . Having lost China, have now given
Moscow the opportunity, for which she has been
waiting and working, to move into Indonesia, an
area that might prove the key to a maj jor war in
the Pacific. Directly and through the United Ma.
tions. we have forced the Dutch to free Indo-
nesia so quickly and suddenly that, for the next
five years. during which World War III may be
either unavoidable or improbable, there will be
no stable government there.
"We have thrown our wholehearted support to
the least democratic, least western-minded po-
litical group in the islands, thereby giving it
a position of dominance in the coming new
government.
s'Military and businessmen feel sure that Wash.
ington must be aware of the strategic impor.
tance of Indonesia, in any possible war between
Russia and the democracies. There are two
major reasons for this:
''First, because these islands an aerial cross.
roads of the South Pacific. From Batavia to
Australia is only 100 miles; to the Philippines
is about 400 miles; to Singapore is only 500
miles. From Java, from Borneo, from Sumatra,
from Celebes, modern long-range bombers
could harass the Philippines, Australia, the sea
routes of the Indian Ocean, the South China
seas, the South Pacific i'm general. Second, be.
cause the islands are rich in vital oil. There are
known reserves of billion barrels -.
''China is pretty thoroughly in Moscow's hands
now. Soviet agents are operating diligently in
Indo- China, Burma, Malaga. Observers who have
studied that area would be surprised if the Conn
munist push is not continued southwark from
China-toward Indonesia ..
6. The United States, Great Britain and other
western democracies have tremendous stake
in the maintenance of stable government in
Indonesia. Such government would be anxious
and able resist Soviet aggression, and, against
real attack in force, could be trusted to call
upon the western military powers for assistance.
There was a chance to get such government
there The United States deliberately turned its
back the opportunity, and gave its whole-
souled support to group whose intentions are
questionable, and whose ability is yet more
'sBut because the United States has boldly and
unswervingly backed this Republic in all its con.
troversies with both the Dutch and the rest of
Indonesia, the Republic-and President Su.
karno and Vice.President Mohammad Hatta
will go into the constitutional convention in
The Hague in a very strong position. The Re-
public has never held an election for any Office
executive or legislatve-in the almost four
years it has been in existence. On the other
hand, the negara of East Indonesia has held
elections by secret ballot for all local Offices,
and in September will elect negara parliament,
by secret ballot. And Borneo is preparing to
establish an sland.wide negara with democratic
elections.
$50 the American action has served to give
undue weight, in the framing of constitution
for the U. S. of Indonesia, to the least demo.
cratic of all major groups in the islands,"
CAT The Hague, observers reason, the Dutch will
sign almost anything to get out of this mess.
The Indonesians will get their independence
without having solved the question that has
caused bloodshed and rioting ever since l945-
how far can the Sukarno-Hatta republic impose
itself on the rest of Indonesia? -"
$. BURTON HEATH
s.sssssssssssssssss
This column is presented public service by
the kNICkERBOCKER MAGAZINE