The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-06-01
E
 FASTENING.
 AT INQUIRY
Question Regarding Max ing Public Formosa Doeu-
 ment HaIts Hearing

WASHINGTON, June 1 = R = Secretary of State Acheson took the witness chair today in the Senate's MacArthur inquiry. But the first two hours brought only debate over whether to make public 1949 State Department document dealing with Formosa.
 Then, without deciding the ques- ton, the senators ordered recess for lunch. Acheson was told to come back at 1:30 pm.
 Some members of the committee have said the document indicated Formosa might fall to the Commun- ists and questioned its strategic value. Formosa is the island where the Chinese Nationalist forces took refuge after they were driven from their mainland by the Communists.
 "Confidentiar' Label
 The State Department has kept a confidential label on the docu- ment and doesn't want 1t made pub lie.
 Senator Tobey (R-NH) told re- pcrters the committee would vote later on the question of releasing it. He said he would cast his ballot against making it public since the State Department contended it is in the best interest of the country that it remain confidential
 But Senstop McCartty lR-Wlsl saic Re fad listened to a reading of the text at the closed door sessions of the inquiry panel. He told re- porters: q don't think it's release would endanger the security of the country. It might endanger the se- curity of Acheson."
 FOrmosa Problem
 Mccarthy is not member of the Senate panel inquiring into the dis missal of Macarthur and related policy differences. However, all sen ators are permitted to attend the sessions by the combined Armed Services and Foreign Relations com mittees.
 Mccarthy said the text of the doc ument verified news stories about it's contents. These indicated that Formosa might fall to the Commun- ists and questioned it's strategic value.
 Since the present hearings be- gan. all the top U. s. military men have testified Formosa should not be allowed to fall into the hands oi an enemy.
 Acheson Has Statement Macarthur, when before the com mittees. contended that Formosa IT Communist hands would pierce the whole Pacific defense line of the United States.
 At the start of the session, Char man Russell D-Ga) of the com bined Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees announced Acheson had an 18-minute state ment he wished to make. Russell said it dealt with overall policies and the dismissal of Macarthur.
 Most of the 26 members of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees were on hand when Chairman Russell ordered the doors of the hearing room closed.
 It was the 24th day of hearings by the two committees.
 That FOrmOsa Issue
 Secretary Acheson testified the State Department vetoed in l949 a Defense Department effort to seno a military mission to Formosa.
 The group had voted l5 to to take the secretary label off l94s State Department document saylne that Formosa - island held by the Chinese Nationalist government ' "has no special military signifi- cance."
 Except for the veto in ls4s ol the proposed military mission Acheson said, there was no pfeah in the unanimous" American pol icy toward Formosa until the de- cision last June to go into Korea. Up to that time, he said. military and diplomatic leaders were agreed that no U. s. forces should be usee to keep Formosa out of the hand' I of the Communists.
 "Neutralizc" FOrmosa President Truman ordered tn' Seventh Fleet to "neutralize' For mosa last June. when he sent mlll' tary forces into Korea. Acheson said that in the closlnf 1