Evening star., 1950-09-02
The Political Mill
The Political Mill
Trumun's S Words on Fleet
Have World Guessing
Second Reversal Of Policy
Seen by Many in Statement
By Gould Lincoln

g.
Seen by Many in Statement
By Gould Lincoln
President Truman's most recent pro-
nouncement on Formosa-that the Amer
lean fleet will no longer protect that
island from Chinese Communist attack
after the Korean war has been con-
cluded-has the world guessing.
To many the Presidents statement is
a second reversal of policy-the first
having been his determination last June
81 to fight. If necessary. to prevent For
mosa's falling into the hands of the
Reds. Last winter he was for keeping
hands off Formosa entirely. Shouts Of
"appeasement" and another Munich"
have gone up from some of the Pres
ident's opponents. In their eyes he is
seeking to placate the Chinese Commu-
nists, and perhaps lay the ground for
the admission of Communist China to
the Security Council of the United
Nations.
Secretary Of State Acheson is again
in the ascendancy. The FormoSa state
ment made by Gen. Douglas Macarthur
for delivery at the recent convention Of
II
Gen. Macarthur insisted that Fosmosa
must not be permitted to fall into hostile
hands for the sake of our defense line
in the Pacific, contained more than a
yelled attack on the policies of the State
Department.
Acheson Riding High.
The Presidents prompt order that this
Macarthur statement be withdrawn"
followed by his last Formosa statement,
shows Mr.. Acheson riding high.
The Presidents announcement that
the fleet would not continue to defend
Formosa after Korea's mess has been
settled-which virtually says to the Chi
nese Reds they will be at liberty to attack
that island and take it over-Seemingly
has as its object keeping the Chinese
Reds out of the Korean war for the time
being The Chinese Communists have
20 divisions now on the North Korean
border. Presumably these Chinese SOL
diers, all veterans of the Chinese civil
war, will move into the fighting in
Korea if and when the Kremlin pulls
the strings. The Russian Soviet gov
ernment has been doing its best to show
to the world and to Communist China
that the United States is the aggressor
in Korea If such Chinese army were
thrown into the conflict now, before the
United Nations, and principally the
United States. can get its military
strength into the Korean war, the result
might be disastrous.
The British and India, both Of whom
have recognized the Chinese Communist
government. are anxious not to become
involved in a war with Red China. But
Britain has ground soldiers fighting in
Korea today, in the United Nations
forces, and if the Chinese Communists
enter the war there in Korea, Britain
will be involved-no matter what the
policy toward Formosa may be. And
indeed, so would the United States on q
grand scale, and the defense of Formosa
would again become a major issue.
Lucas Laid Down Strategy.
In a major speech, intended to affect
the political campaign in Illinois and
in other States, Senator Scott Lucas.
majority leader of the Senate, yesterday
laid down the Democratic strategy for
the campaign in connection with the
war issue. The administration forces
are saying that President Truman, by
his order to Gen. Macarthur last June
to take American troops into South Korea
to defend that country saved our civili-
cation from an earthquake Of panic
Think of what the world would be
like today if we had lost our nerve in
the face of the Communist challenge
in Korea" Senator Lucas demanded.
The whole argument of MI. Lucas was
designed to show that the Democratic
President deserves support-and the
Democratic candidates for Congress de-
serve election-"becauSe we have stopped
the Communists in Korea, just as We
have stopped them in Greece, in Turkey.
in Italy, in Germany, in France, in the
Middle East. and in other parts of the
world"
To those who may complain that
Korea is a mighty far place to be send
ing American boys to fight and be killed,
Mr.. Lucas said that Americans are fight
ing in Korea for the same reasons they
fought at Bunker Hill, and in the First
and Second World Wars. when politi-
cal candidates Republicans) are trying
to turn the tragedy of our time into a
harvest Of votes" he said, "and tell you
that we have bungled our way into
Korea, ask yourself whether you pre-
ferred to wait until the fiery anger of
aggressors fell upon America or whether
it was the wiser course to act in the
Far East"
This is politics at home. Politics in
the war abroad is not, however, going
to be SO good.