Evening star., 1954-05-19
Asia Alliance
Held Possible
Without Britain
President Says U. S.
Is Determined to
Work Out Pact
By james {. Roper

President Eisenhower said to-
day the United States might be
able to forge a workable South
east Asia defense alliance even
without Great Britain.
Gen. Eisenhower told a news
conference that with the proper
Asiatic peoples and Australia and
New Zealand, the United States
might work cut a pact-not as
satisfactory as we like-but
something workable.
This and other news confer
ence remarks by the President
re-emphasized the American
Governments determination to
line up allies for a possible fight
ing defense of Southeast Asia
against Communist attacks.
So far, Great Britain has de-
clined to make any military
commitments in the area until
the outcome of the present
Geneva conference on the Indo-
China problem becomes more
apparent.
Willing to Talk.
The British, however, have
indicated willingness to hold
military talks. Today Brit
ish and French representatives
here refused to comment on a
possibility that such talks will
be held in Washington soon.
Gen. Eisenhower, answering
inquiries on other foreign prob
lens, said: .
It would be terrible for a
Communist dictatorship to be
established in the Western
Hemisphere. The landing of
Communist arms in Guatemala
is disturbing.
2. The United States Is study
ing the idea of going along on
some form Of atomic plan for
the development of backward ma
tionS without waiting for any
other country to contribute nu-
clear materials for the purpose.
Gen. Eisenhower's atomic re-
mark was In reply to a question
on whether American Soviet
talks on the proposed pool had
broken down. He did not answer
that question directly. But he
suggested the United States
alone would turn its vast atomic
know-how into peaceful pursuits
such as power development for
economically poor countries even
though Russia might refuse to
cooperate or contribute atomic
materials.
Praise for Strauss.
Asked about Capitol Hill re-
ports that Chairman Lewis
Strauss of the Atomic Energy
Commission, might be given
more authority than the other
four members of the commission,
Gen. Eisenhower said the White
House had made no recommen-
dation Of this subject. He vol
unteered that if he were certain
that he would always have a man
like Mr.. Strauss as chairman, he
would favor giving him more
authority.
In his discussion of the pros
poets for Southeast Asia, Gen.
Eisenhower said he could not go
into details of the present
American-French talks on the
crisis. He recalled, however, that
on April 6 of last year he most
clearly pointed out in a speech
that there should be a collective
arrangement for the security of
Southeast Asia.
This. he said, remains the
basic policy of the United States.
Only through collective security
can the problem be met.
FOresees Long Talks.
Asked whether the United
States was trying to get an
agreement before the end ot the
Geneva conference, Gen. Eisen-
hover said he could foresee long,
weary conversations.
Gen. Eisenhower's concern over
the outlook in Guatemala was
prompted by the discovery that
a shipload of arms loaded in
Soviet-controlled Poland has
reached Guatemala. Authorita-
tive reports said the shipment
totaled 1000 tons.
The development, Gen. Eisen-
hover said, is disturbing. He
said he thought it highlights
the conditions and background
which led to the resolution at
the recent inter American con-
ference at Caracas. Venezuela,
condemning communism in the
Western Hemisphere.
The United States and every
Latin American nation except
Guatemala voted for the reso-
luton.
Gen. Eisenhower volunteered
that to have a Communist die
tatorship established in this
hemisphere to the detriment of
other nations would be a terrible
thing.