Evening star., 1950-06-27
Universal Surprise
Over Korea Invasion
Called Mystifying
U. S. Wrote OFF Asiu Lone
Ago, TO Concentrate on
Europe, Writer Says
By David Laurence

captured by the Communists a.
was China.
There isn't going to be any
World War as the Russians are
not likely to back up the North
Korean forces to the extent of 6
large scale conflict. Their bluff
has been called in an area where
they thought United States woulc
be passive. Today's action may
have a far reaching effect in pre-
venting World War III.
For once, the Russians have
been caught off guard. The United
Nations can act in. the Security
Council now without any Russian
veto because the Soviets have alb
sented themselves from the Coun-
Gil on account of the failure OF
the u N. to recognize Communist
China.
Just why anyone should be sur
prised that the Communists in
Moscow took advantage of Amer
ica's policy of drifting is a mys-
terry. The whole world acts sur
prised-as If the doom of Korea
wasn't foreseen for a long time as
part of the Washington admin
istration's policy of concentrating
on the cold war" in Europe and
taking a chance on what might
happen in Asia.
Senator Connally, chairman of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. summed up with ad-
mirable candor the policy of the
United States toward Korea in an
interview in the magazine "U. s.
News & World Report" in its May
S issue:
DO you think" he was asked,
"the suggestion that we abandon
South Korea is going to be Sc
riously considered?"
Not Part of Defense Strategy.
Il am afraid" he replied, ut is
going to be seriously considered
because I'm afraid it's going to
happen, whether we want it or
not. I'm for Korea. We're trying to
help her - we're appropriating
money now to help her. But South
Korea is cut right across by this
line-north of it are the Commun-
lists, with access to the mainland
and Russia is over there on the
mainland. So that whenever she
takes a notion, she can just over
run Korea just like she probably
will overrun FormoSa when she
gets ready to do it. I hope not, of
course"
But isn't Korea an essential
part of the defense strategy?" he
was asked.
mo. OF course, any position
like that is of some strategic i'm
portance. But I don't think it is
very greatly important. 1t has
been testified before us that ia
pan, Okinawa and the Philippines
make the chain of defense which
Is absolutely necessary. And, of
course, any additional territory
along in that area would be that
much more, but it's not absolutely
essential"
Senator Connally dosen't make
American foreign policy but is well
informed on the trends. This
policy has been in the making for
some time. Thus Owen baltimore,
called by Senator Mccarthy the
architect of Americas Far East
ern policy" urged long ago the
scuttling of Korea. In his memo
randum of August, 1949, for the
State Departments advisory COM
mittee, which was made public
April in the midst of the Nc
Carthy-Lattimore controversy. Mr..
baltimore wrote with reference to
Korea:
Called a Liability.
South Korea is more of liza
bility than an asset to the interests
and policy of the United States.
1t is doubtful how long the present
regime in South Korea can be
kept alive. and mere effort to keep
it alive is a bad advertisement,
which continually draws attention
to a band of little-and- inferior
Chang Kai-shekS who are the
scorn of the Communists and have
lost the respect of democratic and
would-be democratic groups and
movements throughout Asia.
THE United States should dis
embarrass itself as quickly as pos
sible of its entangiements in South
Korea"
So the Moscow government has
committed another act of aggfes-
sion. Only last week the State De-
partment was talking of eventual
negotiations with such a govern
ment. 1t ought to be plain now
that any further reliance on the
Kremlin would be useless.
The Soviets have kept up a pro-
gram of harassment all over the
world. Meanwhile, the United
States has done hardly anything
to harass the Communists in the
satellite states or inside Russia
ignoring the many opportunities
for psychological penetration and
also allowing the Voice of Ameri-
CA most important instrument
tality-to be utilized as routine
news service instead of a crusade
of ideas designed to separate the
Russian people from their Com.
munist overlords.
Perhaps the Korean episode will
sharpen American policy anc
change it from a passive affair tc
an active policy of carrying ths
cold war" into the areas behine
the Iron Curtain"
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RosseIlinis Leuve Genoa