Evening star., 1950-01-07
The Political Mill
us. Policy Toward China
Seen Excuse for Retreat
Truman's Long.Range Asia Plans
Make Bi.Partisan Policy Imperative
Bv Gould Lincoln


II anything were needed to make 1t clear
that the Western bloc. including the United
States and Britain had finally retreated
from their opposition to Communist
dominated China, the recognition OF Chlnas
Communist government by Britain and Pres
ident Trumans announced determination TO
do nothing about Formosa, has oversupplled
that need.
Wherever the stand of the Western anti
Communist nations-f there is to be stand
against Communist Asia is to be made,
it is apparently not going to be MADE IN
China.
The administration, under fire from the
Republicans in the Senate for its lack OF
a definite, affirmative policy in China, has
let it be understood that the Truman policy
is really aimed at a long-range-and long
fight against the Reds in Asia It Is strange
way, however, to initiate such battle. II
the Communists cannot be halted in China
and completely dominate that greatest coun-
try Of Asia, where can line be drawn? It
sounds like the mereSt excuse for retreat.
The United States policy in China, even
before the close of the war, was never one
of firm and determined opposition to the
Communists. When China was invited to
attend the United Nations Conference in
San Francisco to draft the United Nations
Charter, Chinese Communists were invited
to come along, too. and they did. Com
munist Russia was our ally then, and the
Chinese Communists, aided and abetted by
Moscow, had made inroads in China.
Lamb and Tiger.
The attitude of the administration then,
and since then, was that the Chinese Nation
alist government and the Reds should make
up and be friends-become unified. 1t was
like proposing that the lamb lie down with
the tiger. Too many persons high in ad-
ministration circles regarded the Reds in
those days as mot so bad" and more nearly
like us" than other forms of government in
the world.
The inconsistency of the administrations
foreign policy-tough with the Reds in
Europe and easy with them in China-is
difficult to understand. When President
Truman announced his doctrine" in con-
nection with his request to Congress for
military aid for Greece and Turkey-his
Statement seemed to declare this country
would oppose the spread Of communism in
every country where freedom-loving people
existed.
Bipartisan Policy Necessary.
If long-range battle is to be fought from
now on to halt the progress of communism
in Asia-on behalf of other peoples and our
own national security-the need Of q BIZ
partisan policy toward China and the rest
Of Asia is more imperative than ever. This
country has shown q united front-Repub-
licans joining with Democrats--in its de-
termination to strengthen the countries Of
Western Europe and to prevent Communist
aggression, or even inflltration. there.
It has been effective. But there has been
no such bipartisan policy toward China. On
the contrary, the failure of the administra-
ton to undertake to develop such bi.
partisan policy is now threatening to break
down the so-necessary bipartisan poltcx IN
the rest Of the world. Opponents Of that
policy among the Republicans have seized
upon the Chinese situation to attackqthe hi.
partisan policy in the European area. u 5s:t.
The administration can. if it will, seek to
build up policy toward China and the rest
of Asia, with the aid of Republican leaders.
It can do so by laying all the cards on the
table and seeking their advice and co-opera-
ton. It Is late in the day, so late that Re-
spublicans-and Democrats from the Pacific
Coast will be difficult to placate. The West
coast sees itself in graver danger Of attack
as communism the Moscow variety
makes headway in Asia. But it Is not too
late to try. There Is much at stake.