The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1950-01-14
cEnEEsE coNNvNIsEs Ike
Behind The
World News
BY WALTER BREEDE. JR..
Associated Press Writer

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There's been no letup in the
campaign Of the Chinese Reds to
embarrass. annoy and make life
generally miserable for our diplo-
matte representatives in China.
Last summer, after the fall Of
Shanghai the police of that Conn
munist-controlled city beat up q
young American Vice Consul.
More recently, there was the
now famous case of the American
diplomat who served at Mukden.
Consul General Angus Ward. He
reported to the State Department
in Washington today to tell, first
hand, about his arrest and gen
orally unpleasant treatment in
Red Chine.
Also very much in the public
eye is the continued detention by
the Chinese COMMUNISTS of two
American service men, Marine
Master Sergeant Elmer Bender
and Navy Chief Electrician Will
Liam Smith. They've been prison
ers in Red China for Is months
since their plane was forced down
on a training flight. And the Com
rnunists have given no hint when
they are going 10 release them.
In the light Of these past de-
velopnnents, today's invasion of
american Consulate property in
Red capital Of Peiping IS Just an
other chapter in a continuing
story But il may be the final
chapter. And it may solve the
dilemma Of those American Off
Gals who have been debating
whether our government should
recognize the Peiping regime. AS
Assistant Secretary of State Wal
ton Butterworth puts it, no one
can keep representatives in a
foreign country if that country
doesn't want them.
In provoking anti-American in
eidents of this sort, the ruling
clique in China is guided by i'm
portant psychological considera-
tons. AS Secretary of State Dean
Acheson pointed out earlier this
week. the Chinese Communists
need villian-a whipping boy
% divert the anger of the Chinese
masses away from the Red party
and its Moscow ties. And what
better villain than Uncle Sam?
For years the hated weSterner
has been envied and feared in
China. That was one of the great
weaknesses of the Nationalist
government of Chang Kai-Shek.i
Because Chang was dependent
on American help. he had to sap-l
press the under-current of anti
American feeling among the
Chinese people. He was unable to
rid himself of the faint of alien
control. And so Chang Kai- Shel
came TO be associated in the
Chinese mind with the supposed
" Imperialistic designs of a
foreign power.
That was so much grist for the
Communist mill and, as events
have shown, they made the most
81 Il.
The assault on American gov
eminent property at Peiping is
about as fragrant an insult to the
United States as anything the
Chinese Reds have yet perpetra-
ted. Peiping is the capital of Com
munist China-the place where
we'd set up an embassy in the
event Of recognition. It's one spot
where QUE diplomatic representa-
tives could normally expect half
way decent treatment. But now,
under the pretext of taking over
military barracks once maintain
ed by foreigners, the Communist
have seized the American Con-
sulate and have driven the Cons
sui General ont! IT looks very
much like a final break, the
State Department having decided
90 recall all of its personnel from
Communist China.
In Washington, the Peiping in
cident has brought renewed criti-
cism Of the State Department.
Republican Senator William