Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-30
Warning From Mr.. Dulles


somber New York address to the Overseas Press
Club of America, has spoken plainly and bluntly
enough to make two things clear to the Moscow
Peiping axiS-and to our allies as well. One
is that the United States does not propose to
follow do-nothing policy In the event OF
external aggression against Indo- China. And
the other is that our Government is determined
at this Stage-which is likely to last long
time-to deny diplomatic recognition to the
Chinese Communists and oppose their admis-
sion into the United Nations
In making this latter point, Mr.. Dulles-as
If to allay the fears of "appeasement" that have
been expressed in Congress-haS served advance
notice that our delegation will 60 to the forth
coming Geneva Conference firmly set against
any possible French British or other allied
pressures to yield important ground to the
Communists in exchange for mere promises of
good behavior That is to say, the Peiping
regime-because it actively attacks our vital
interests, because it has not purged itself of
its Korean aggression and because it still
violates the principles of the United Nations
by promoting the use of force in Indo- China
will get nowhere against us with demands for
recognition and u N membership.
Our delegation, as Mr.. Dulles has indicated,
will turn completely deaf ear to all such nom
germane matters at Geneva. Instead it will
seek primarily to bring about unified and
independent Korea, and it will do its best, in
discussing Indo-C China, to make the Communists
"see the danger of their apparent design for
the conquest of Southeast Asia, so that they
will cease and desiSt" Mr.. Dulles has spared
no effort in his speech to emphasize the impor-
lance of that danger and to impress upon
Peiping and Moscow the seriousness of what he
and President Eisenhower have said on the
1858, statement warning that a Chinese Red
invasion of Indo- China would result in grave
consequences which might not be confined to
Indo-China," but might lead to counteraction
against China itself by means and at places of
the free worlds choosing.
Mr.. Dulles now has backed up this warning
with highly significant statement along the
same line. Observing that Peiping, although
it has not marched directly against Indo-
China, has stepped up its aid to the Red forces
there, he has had this to say: Under the con-
ditions Of today, the imposition on Southeast
Asia of the political system of Communist
Russia and its Chinese Communist ally, by
whatever means, would be grave threat to
the whole free community. The United States
feels that that possibility should not be pas
sively accepted, but should be met by united
action. This might involve serious risks But
these risks far less than those that will face
us few years from now if we dare not be
resolute today"
These words are meant to alert our allies
and to serve the cause of peace by letting the
potential aggressor know in advance that an
attack on his part could be his undoing. The
warning is unilateral, of course, and Americans
may ask whether the French and British would
join with us in united action" in case of
Chinese invasion of Indo- China. That is some
thing that Mr.. Dulles-perhaps purposely-has
left unclear along with the kind of counter
blows he has in mind. Even so, there can be
no doubt about the soundness of his appraisal
of the danger in Southeast Asia and the free
worlds need to meet it without wavering.