Evening star., 1950-11-23
British Appeasement
Move in Far East
Sths u. ). Concern
London Diplomats Seen
Outsmorting Selves by
Surrender of Principles
By David Laurence

tne united states ana Great Brit
ain should be ''re-examined.' u
There is considerable concern
here that London diplomacy has
completely miscalculated the tenn
per Of American public opinion
today in assuming that the
United States, for the sake OF
peace at any price. is willing to
make a deal" with the Com
munists in the Far East. That
Is the plain meaning of the"pack-
age" settlement which the Brit
tsh are espousing.
The British probably would
deny that their plan for me
gotiating" with the Reds involves
any surrender of principles. Ex-
perience of the world with
Munich in 1938-a most unfor-
tunate alteration of British
diplomacy - reveals, however,
that appeasement in any sense
never pays and usually leads to
the outbreak of the very war that
1t is designed to prevent.
Reports of q disturbing nature
have been coming for several
days that the British Government
thinks it can placate the Com
muniSts in the Far East. It has
been argued that the London
Government is quite conscious OF
its heavy investments in the Far
East and of the necessity of keep
ing Hong Kong. 1t has also been
pointed out that the British al
ready have recognized the Com
munist Government of China and
have stated publicly their desire
to have the Peiping govern
ment take over the Nationalists
seat in the Security Council of
the United Nations.
Practical Situation.
Yet the practical situation is
that American troops in large
numbers have been attacked in
North Korea by Chinese Com
munist armies. Supplies and REIN
forcements have been pouring
across the border from Man
churia for several weeks, thus
prolonging war that has been
costly in men as well as money.
The direct attack on the U. N. is
plain enough for the whole world
to see.
In this kind Of situation ap-
peasement can mean more war,
whereas f1rmness can put stop
to further offensive moves.
The United States Government
In the last few days has swung
away from the possibility of rec
ognizing Communist China OF
admitting that government into
the U. N. John Foster Dulles has
supported a resolution to investi-
gate Russia's role as conspirator
In breaking down the Nationalist
regime. This Is tantamount to
saying that the government in
China is not a free agent but
has risen to power through the
connivance Of Soviet Ruusia. This
tends to reject recognition of the
Peiping government and its ad-
mission to the u. N. as unac-
ceptable to America.
Back in 1885, British diplomacy
in the League Of Nations stopped
the French government from re-
sisting Hitler's march into the
Rhineland. Hitler was encour-
aged. Later it became known
that he had been prepared to
retreat II his advance had been
challenged.
Back in 1888, British diplomacy
appeased Hitler at Munich and
Encouraged the Nazi dictatorship
to believe that Britain wouldn't t
fight.
Move Spells Appeasement.
In the last few days the British
have begun in their subtle way to
bring about an appeasement of
Communism in Asia. First, the
1eft-wing Socialists in the British
Parliament called for peace with
the Communists through a with
drawal of U. N. troops from North
Korea. Now another group of SO
members described as "moderates'
on the labor side, and referred to
as having heretofore been pro
American" are calling for negotia-
ton Of an agreement with the
Communists along lines that spell
appeasement.
VIII the United Nations go the
way Of the League of Nations
which failed in 1886 to stand up
firmly? Will Great Britain be
the means of stimulating inside
the United States the belief that
the socialist or "left-wlng" govern.
ment is at heart truly friendly to
the Moscow governments pur-
poses in the Far East? Or will
the maneuver be regarded as a
misguided attempt to compel
America to write off the Far East
so as to give more financial and
military aid to Europe?
Whatever the motivation back
Of the strange moves in British
diplomacy, the situation does not
augur well for the future Of Anglo
American relations.
Once the impression becomes
fixed in Washington that Britain
isn't ready to stand up to the
Communist menace everywhere In
the world, there will be less con-
Germ about aid to Europe anc
more and more demand fol-
America to use all possible funds
to build up her own Army, Navy
and Air Force for American de.
fense. Such a trend would be q
tragic mistake. The British may
be outsmarting themselves in try
ing to appease Communism ane
patch up a peace in the Far East
It will never be acceptable te
American opinion.
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