Evening star., 1950-10-18
President S Speech
After Pacific Talks
Held WeII-Timed
Will Have More Value
Outside Thon in U. S.,
Writer Believes
Bv David Laurence

the address undoubtedly Will nav
much more value outside than in
side the United States.
The Presidents comments will
be broadcast throughout Asia
They constitute the first compre
hensive statement of American
policy toward Far Eastern com
munism made by any official. Th'
arguments can be and will be uset
over and over again on the "Voic'
of America" in an endeavor tt
reach the peoples of China, Japan
Korea and Southeast Asia as wei
as India.
Whatever else Mr.. Truman hat
in mind in visiting with Gen. Mac
Arthur, it was a good idea to fol
low it up with an address tina
could command worldwide at
tention on the very subject which
it is American policy to empha'
size. 1t is an excellent example o.
timing and of publicity value tha
attaches to an official statement
Mr.. Truman was able to xii
several birds with one stone, so tt
speak. He was able to assure the
japanese people that a peace
treaty is in the off1ng. That il
very important now in preventing
Communist propaganda from get
ting a foothold inside Japan.
Helps Prestige of U. N.
The President was able to help
the prestige of the United Nations
by calling attention to its achieve.
ment in resisting aggression ir
Korea. BY making his address ir
San Francisco where the U. N. was
born, Mr.. Truman had chance
to dramatize the work of the u. N
and call attention to the progress
of that organization since its in
ception-again, a piece of timely
publicity for the U. NJ, parti-
cularly abroad.
What Mr.. Truman said about
the plans which he and Gen. Mac
Arthur talked over to establish a
unified, independent and demo
cratic" government in Korea is a
bit ambiguous because an indie
dependent government already
exists there which it was Russia S
purpose to restrain from govern
ing all Korea. BY giving formal
assurance that all troops would be
withdrawn when peace objectives
have been fully attained, the
President strives to prevent the
Communists from making capital
out Of the prolonged occupation
by foreign troops.
Mr.. Truman's broad references
to rehabilitation of Korea and the
aid which the ECA and the U. N
plan to give will have an excellent
effect not only inside that un-
fortunate country but outside,
where the Communists have been
charging that the basic purpose
Of the U. N. forces is imperialistic.
What the President said in de-
nouncing Communist imperial
ism" constitutes the first extensive
treatment of that subject from
philosophical standpoint that he
has broadcast thus far. He points
out that the Soviets have en-
barked on new colonialism" by
exploiting other peoples. Mr..
Truman refers to the false revolu-
ton Of communism" and declares
that Americas national history
began with a revolutionary idea" "
He calls communism "the most
reactionary movement in the world
today" and asks the people of
Asia to be assured that America
knows about the problems of social
injustice which have to be solved.
The Agrarian Issue.
"We believe" he said, Gin the
family-size farm. That is the
basis of our agriculture and has
strongly influenced our form of
government"
Here is an attempt to come to
grips with the so-called agrarian
issue which has been utilized in
Communist propaganda. especial
ly in China. The President calls
for full partnership with the
peoples of Asia" and stresses the
traditional role of American mis-
sionaries, doctors, teachers, and
business men in their ties with
Asia. Obviously he means China
but doesn't mention that country
by name.
To the people of the United
States, the President breaches
more and more preparedness on
the military side. He calls for
more production and more arma-
ment. He points to the Soviet
threat as constant and says that
the Russians must give proof of
peaceful intentions if the other
nations are to reduce armament.
His final warning is most i'm
portant not only to the people who
will be called to military service
but to business and labor execu-
tives who have been wondering
what the future of the armament
program would be after the Korean
war. He said:
"We are going ahead in dead
earnest to build up our defenses.
There will be no let-down because
of the successes achieved in Ko-
rea."
The address covered a multi
tude of objectives, not the least
of which was the Presidents op-
portunity to give conspicuously
an expression of confidence in
Gen. Macarthur himself.
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