Evening star., 1950-12-07
Appeasement Moves
Blocked by American
Public Opinion
U. N. Troops Evacuation
From Koreu Will Occur
Only Where Necessary
By David Laurence


of U. N. troops from Korea will
occur only in those places where
the Chinese send in an over
whelming number of troops.
This means that for several
days, at least, while peace propos-
ais are being exchanged through
intermediary nations, there will
not be much change in the broad
situation in respect to large-scale
war.
Neither side is obligated at the
moment to stop military opera
tions at any particular point. and
unless there is a "cease-flre" order
the war in Korea will proceed just
as if there were no peace negotia-
tions under way.
The one big handicap. however
which the U. N. forces do undergo
relates to an official reluctance
here to bomb Manchurian bases or
offer retaliatory blows in China
through air power.
Hands Tied Behind Back.
This is tantamount to saying
that the U. N. is fighting a war
with its hands tied behind its
back. It is not likely, on the other
hand, that this situation will con-
tinue very long. though it is
deemed expedient to operate that
way for several days anyway, on
the theory that the most impor-
tant Job ahead is to stabilize the
U. N. military defense line and at
the same time to explore the pos
sibilities of a peaceful settlement.
While the situation inside Korea
goes on as before, there are Ger
tain advantages possible now
which were not present a few
weeks ago. For one thing. even If
Gen. Macarthur had met no op-
position as he sent his troops to
the northern boundary of Korea.
there would have been no assur-
ance that the Chinese troops in
Manchuria would not have de-
scended upon the U. N. armies
without warning at any time. A
long period Of nervous suspense
has been averted.
What the developments Of the
last few days have brought about
in reality is a showdown. 1t will
be recalled that it was intimated
recently from Gen. MacArthur's
headquarters that one of the rea-
sons for the offensive was to test
out Chinese intentions. What
ever the route by which it has
been attained. a definition of
Chinese purposes in North Korea
has been compelled. This will be
achieved now through the current
peace negotiations. IF the Chi
nese Communists make the mis-
take of maintaining an adamant
attitude and insist that U. N.
troops be evacuated from Korea
before there is any discussion of
peace. the whole world will recog-f
nize this as the action of an ag-
gressor state, bent on achieving a
military advantage without re-
gard to the consequences on the
diplomatic side.
There are many here who think
that there is still an opportunity
to drive a wedge between the Rus
SLAMS and the Chinese Commu-
nists. 1t is being assumed that
Mao will not wish to embroil his
country in a war with the United
States and risk counter revolution,
not merely from Chang Kai-shek
but from other malcontents who
would be glad to have the oppor-
tunity to get material and moral
support for a counterrevolution-
airy movement.
United States Not Helpless.
The United States, moreover, is
not helpless with respect to a
war inside of China and can keep
up a strong naval blockade as
well as air bombardment if the
Chinese Reds should relentlessly
plunge their own country into
war by insisting on impossible
peace terms.
There is absolutely no official
knowledge here Of what the Chi
neSe Communists intentions really
are. Nor is it believed that any
delegation at the U. N. has any
basic information on the subject.
but nevertheless many nations are
striving desperately to persuade
the Chinese Communists that they
have gone pretty far already, and
that their future opportunity to
get into the U. N. and to estab-
lish themselves as a nation, in
dependent of Russia, rests solely
on the policies to be pursued by
Mao in the present crisis.
On pure logic there would be
grounds for optimism because only
a war lord, hopelessly bound to
Moscow. would persist in course
that antagonizes the U. NJ. in
cluding the United States. Such
optimism as prevails here is based
upon the theory that the Chinese
Communists will not go to ex-
tremes, but will listen to some
compromise plan which will not
involve appeasement on the part
of the U. N.
The pessimists. however, o1
whom there are many-both or
Capitol Hill and elsewhere in
Washington-insist that the dit
has been cast and that Chinese
communism is directed by Moscow
and that World War III, in effect
has been begun, and that it will
not end until there is showdown
with Russia, as well.
Meanwhile, mobilization plan'
are in the making and Prime
Minister Attlee's visit here ha'
cleared the air to a large extent
so that unity among the Allie
will prove to be the primary resul