Evening star., 1953-01-15
Warning to the KremIin

expressed through the American Embassy in
Tokyo and through General Mark Clark, United
States commander in the Far East-Japan has
unequivocaly warned against any further vio-
lation of it's territorial air by foreign military
planes" The warning, though it mentions no
country by name, is obviously addressed to the
Soviet Union. In effect, 1t serves blunt notice
that trespassng Red fighters or bombers will
henceforth trespass only at the risk of being
shot down.
Thus, declaring that within recent months
there have been "at least 20 or 80" deliberate
violations of the air over Hokkaido Island, the
Tokyo government has described the increasing
frequency of such illegal flights as "a grave
menace" to the country's security-a menace
calling for stern counteraction. Accordingly,
from now on, any plane flying without per-
mission over japanese territory will be met by
interceptors and ordered to land, and If it
ignores the order, it will be forced down-by
gunfire if necessary.
To give special emphasis to this warning
General Clark's Tokyo headquarters has been
at pains to announce the adoption Of "all
measures necessary to prevent further VIOLA
tions of Japans security or acts which endan-
ger United States forces The Japanese, OF
course have no air power OF their own, but
they are joined with us in special bilateral
pact that American planes will rise-if need
be-to deal with any future lawless intrusions
by Soviet military aviation, some of which Is
based very close to Hokkaido.
In sense, particularly because it has been
issued with the advice and consent of our own
Government, Japan's warning may be regarded
not merely as an imperative precautionary
measure but also as a move designed to demon
strate toughening of American policy as
result of the murderous Soviet attack, last Oc-
tober, on one of our B-29 bombers flying over
Japanese waters. Moscow claimed at the time
that the bomber-presumably deStroyed-had
violated Russian territory opened fire on two
Red fighters, and then disappeared "in the di-
rection of the sea" after the fighters had re-
turned its fire. In reply, our State Department
fatty accused the Krenlin of a brazen lie.
Actually, according to the departments
formal protest, the bomber in question was
completely unarmed and flying on a peaceful
routine mission we'll within Japanese territory.
The. attack on it, therefore, was "wanton and
unjustifable," and our note, besides demanding
full and prompt satisfaction, solemnly admon-
ished the Soviet dictatorship to give serious
consideration to ''the grave consequences which
can flow from its reckless practice, If persisted
in, of attacking without provocation the aircraft
of other states"
Up to now, with typical effontery. the
Kremlin has done nothing about this protest.
Meanwhile, as the Tokyo government charges,
Red planes have been violating Japanese ter
ritory In the circumstances, the warning just
issued is an altogether timely one. What it
means is that fresh Soviet air incursions will
invite hot receptions of sort that will be legal
and justifable retaliation for Russia's wholly
unwarranted and brutally lawless attacks in
the past on unarmed American and other
planes.