Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1950-08-13
Indonesia Attempts
TO Remain Neutral
On Korean Warfare
BY the Associated Press

JAkAR1A, 1nooneSla, Aug. IL
The worlds youngest republic
the United States of Indonesia-
is trying for a second distinction.
She would like to be the worlds
most neutral nation. According
to the stands they have taken on
the Korean war, all other Asian
countries can be sorted roughly
as either Russian or American
sympathizers.
Indonesia has carefully avoided
lining up on either side. Govern
ment officials sighed with relief
that the six-month-old republic
never became a member of the
United Nations. eff we had joined
the U. N" they reasoned, I'VE
might have been forced to take
sides on Korea"
Nehru Charted Course.
Indonesia was led into her neu-
trail position by Indian Prime Min
lister Jawaharlal Nehru. On
state visit here in June. he plead
ed in a dozen speeches for a
third neutral force" as a bal
ancing power in the growing
struggle between Communists and
non Communists.
BY strict neutrality, India and
Indonesia might show the way
toward peace, Nehru said. He
advised the IndoneSians to con-
centrate on their own internal
problems and avoid mixing in out
side conflicts. Indonesians needed
Nehru's words, and no opposition
was heard when Premier Mo-
manned Hatta laid down a policy
Of tight isolationism in regard to
Korea's war. The press and most
political parties rallied behind the
government standpoint. Even
Communist leaders, usually crit
ical of Hatta's policies. agreed that
IndoneSians must concentrate on
building a strong national front
to safeguard the country's neu-
trality."
Indonesian leaders got a jolt
when India suddenly abandoned
her policy of rigid neutrality and
supported U. N. military measures
to halt the Communist invasion of
South Korea.
Caught by Surprise.
It was admitted here that In
dia's move caught the U. S. I.
by surprise and left her alone
on her neutral pinnacle. But we
still can afford to be aloof," one
top official explained, because we
are far from the centers of trou-
BILE" India had to act, he said.
because the Chinese Communists
are close on her tanks.
Indonesias union partnership
with the Dutch will not influence
her toward the Allied side, U. S. I.
officials have been quick to ex-
plain, pointing out that each party
in the Netherlands 1ndonesia
union can determine its own for
eign policy. It was carefully ex-
planned that Java's big naval base
at Soerabaja must not be looked
on as base of operations in the
Korean war simply because a
/ Dutch destroyer departed from
there in early July to join AL
lied forces off Korea. A govern
ment spokesman stressed that the
Dutch warship left IndoneSian
waters as a friendly foreign YES
sci in strict accordance with in
ternational law and custom.
No foreign nation has discussed
the use of military bases in 1ndo-
neSia, according to a recent Of
fetal announcement. The Indies
chief Allied bases in World War
II were Biak and Hollandia in
Western New Guinea. Future
status of Western New Guinea
was not settled last year at the
time independence, was granted to
the rest Of IndoneSia. The area
was left in Dutch hands. and Hol-
land and 1ndonesia were to ne
gotiate a settlement before the
end of 1850.
AS neither has given up claim
to Western New Guinea, the next
round of negotiations in Holland
next August are almost certain
to end in a deadlock. Then it is
likely that the problem will be
thrown to the U. N. for solution.