Evening star., 1950-11-22
At the Monchuriun Border

With American troops arriving in strength
at Hyesanjin along the Manchurian border Red
China now has concrete evidence that its inter-
yention has not shaken the United Nations re-
solve to put down the crime Of aggression in
North Korea. What remains to be seen is whether
Mao Tse-tung and his regime at Peiping are de-
termined to continue their support of that crime
or whether they will gradually withdraw their
forces from the battle zone to avert the danger
of full-Scale war.
Assuming that the Chinese Communists are
not already committed with the Kremln to a
program that could easily precipitate such war,
they have every reason to pull back into their
own territory without further delay Through
President Truman and through the channels of
the United Nations. they have received solemn
assurances that our American and allied U. N.
forces are intent upon keeping the Manchurian
border inviolate. In addition, they have been un-
equivocally assured that their legitimate interests
in the frontier region will be fully protected and
that the U. MS military contingents will be with
drawn from Korea just soon as that country
is unified and stabilized under an Independent,
democratic government.
In short having thus been offered firm
guarantees against an attack on Chinese terri
tory, the Mao regime will be compounding the
crime of aggression II 1t continues to fight against
the U. N. in Korea. More than that, If it holds
fast to its present beligerent course on the blat-
antly untruthfu ground that the United States is
preparing to invade China 1t will be inviting mill
tary counter-action-by air bombardment and
otherwise-against its bases, supply depots and
other points of power in Manchuria and else
where. This possibility ought to be sobering to
Peipings Communists not only because 1t in
wolves the prospect of large-scale war, but also
hooo ic afb hot looI
Quickly-to their complete ruin
OF course in short-range military sense,
the Chinese Reds are still in position to throw
massive armies against the United Nations in
Korea. Although our American troops at the
Manchurian border have driven a wedge between
the enemy's northwestern and northeastern
fronts, our allied forces must continue to reckon
with the danger of a trap. After all, scores Of
thousands of Maos volunteers" remain in the
battle area and they constitute threat of the
first order. Nevertheless, in long-range sense,
in view of the destruction that could be rained
down on Communist Chinas centers of power
it Is difficult to see what Peping can gain from
going all-out against the u NJ
Indeed, although appearances are often de-
ceiving Peping itself seems to be at least doubt
full that it has anything to gain from such
decision. Thus, since their initial offensive
eAAA uSt u AAoitA ago. tllC All1IcSc
Korea have been baf11ingly disposed to disengage
themselves from battle, to withdraw without put
ting up strong fight, to fade away before the
advancing U. N, and in general to be strangely
satisfied to let us retain the initiative This
mystifying military conduct may in fact prove
to be the prelude to some surprise counter-blow.
But it also suggests that Mao may be having
some sober second thoughts about his inter-
vention.
The world probably will be less in the dark
about all this when Red China's representatives
arrive at Lake Success and speak their pieces be-
fore the Security Council Conceivably-just con-
ceivably-Mao may then be revealed as a man
who can be persuaded to stop playing with fire.
In any event. the American advance to the Man.
churian border should help to impress him with
the fact that the u Ms allied anti-aggression
forces are in Korea to stay until their great and
historic task is finished