Evening star., 1950-11-12

0QL Tie lQeOlOSlStS III tIle gov.
ernment, who believed until very
recently that the Russians.
"delicately" handled as they were
during the appeasement years.
would not wish to unleash an
other war, were willing to sacri-
flee China to the "agrarian re-
formers who had been trained by
Moscow as blindly obedient pup
pets for the last 25 years. 4
Even today, when we are likely
to be caught short of fighting
men in Korea. there is definite
opposition to using the we'll
trained troops which Chang Kali
shek has in Formosa and has
placed at our disposal.
Chiang's Offer Rejected
There are some 100000 Ma
tionalist troops in Formosa today.
the remnant of once-strong
Nationalist army. At least 100, 1000
of them are American-trained and
know how to handle war equip
ment. On June 80 Chang, who
heads rump government which
retains membership in the United
Nations and a permanent seat in
the Security Council. cabled that
he was ready to send $4,000 men
to Korea Immediately.
This offer was rejected because,
the U. N. diplomats said its ac-
ceptance would mean Chinese
Communist Intervention on the
side Of the North Koreans. A
few weeks later Gen. Macarthur
visited Formosa and became con-
vinced that the Chinese troops
could be a real help to the plan
he had conceived-the Inchon
landing. He was told that the
United Nations, naturally sup
ported by the American delega-
ton. could not possibly approve
the Intervention of troops be-
longing to government which
was on it's way out of the U. N.
In spite of the Chinese Nation-
alists' non-participation in the
Korean war the Chinese Reds did
intervene there and placed us in
a difficult position. Whether Gen.
Macarthur. hard-pressed for
ground forces, will repeat his re-
quest for support from the troops
in Formosa is not known for the
present. But the betting in WASH
ington is that neither the United,
Nations nor our own State Depart
ment will look with favor on such
a plea.
It appears that there are some
persons who would rather see an
increasing list of American cas-
ualties-to date there have been
more than 10000 killed, wounded
and missing - than admit that
they had been mistaken in their
attitude about the Nationalists.
Meanwhile, the situation in
Europe is described as latent"
that is to say no actual shooting
has started yet. and defense prep
arations are moving at snail's
pace. Old and new prejudices and
personal political interests are the
main obstacles to organization Of
a force which could halt Red ag-
| gression. These made themselves
very apparent in the Inflated con-
ference of the II Atlantic pact
nations in Washington. "a
The meeting was strictly of q
military character. No politics
should have been involved. The
chiefs of staff of the nations rep
resented here discussed the prob
lem of manpower and the best way
to create a force which, while only
one-third of what the Russians
possess, would be in a position to
defend the West against a Red
attack.
France Blocks Plan
The lack of manpower in
France and the other continental
European nations was a WELL
known factor. The original
scheme to organize Is divisions
had to be abandoned. They could
be nowhere nearly sufficient, to
stem invasions. particularly since
lit was known that Moscow had
organized in Eastern Germany an
excellent army-of 100000 men.
The plan was to increase Vest
ern Europe's force. The man
power was available. This force
was to be provided with military
equipment from the United States
or from some other Western
European industrial country such
as Britain or France, and was to
be placed under the overall COM
mand of an American general who
was scheduled to be selected as
commander in chief of the West
ern forces.
1t was also agreed that a
Frenchman would command the
Western ground forces while the
British were to be given the air
command. The Germans were
to furnish only ground forces.
This German Army, controlled by
the Allies in the top echelons and
supplied with the needed war ma
terials, could come into being
within year or less.
But the French fears of their
century old enemy, and particu-
larly the fear of the French gov
ernment that it might be kicked
out of office, prevented this logical
addition to the still existent
defense forces in Europe.
It may be that under the strain
of the present situation. when we
have full shooting war on our
hands in the Far East and
another approaching in Europe,
some sense of reality may be
drilled into the minds of the men
who bear the heavv resDonsihiIitv