Evening star., 1955-01-28
u. S. Aid for Quemoy
And Maisu Expected,
But Nof for Tachens
th.I Al..ssIs..a 4 %.

0b wv W bs0bo
syihs A,sseisisd Pres,
TAIPEH, Formosa, Jan. "a.
A high United States source
said today he thought Ameri-i
ran support would be extended
to the offshore islands of Que
nioy and Matsu, and conceded
that agreement in principle had
been reached on evacuation Of
the ed-threatened Tachen Is-i
lands.
He said that In svent Of ..
clash with the Communists he
was In favor Of giving the cofn-
naander opposing them full pow
er without any privileged sane
tt1aries." M
The Tachens are 200 miles
north Of Forrnosa and about 20
miles OF the Red mainland.
They are under direct threat OF
Red artillery on newly captured
Yikiangshan Island and have
been under heavy air lombard
Inent.
The Matsu group is 100 miles
northwest Of Formosa and 20
miles of the coast. Quemoy,
the main Nationalist offshore
outpost, is 100 miles across the
Fornosa Strait from Formosa
and seven miles from the Red
port of Annoy.
Congressional Action Awaited.
Final decision on q pullout
from the Tachens apparently
awaits congressional approval Of
President Eisenhower's fight-if-'
we-must Forrnosa policy.
Sabrejets Of the United States
18th Fighter Bomber Wing have
been transferred from Okinawa
and the Philippines to Formcsa
to support the United States 7th
Fleet, already in the area on
combat alert.
But United States Ambassador
Karl L. Rankin said today ne
does not feel there is great dam
ger OF an important conflict
breaking out II the United States
maintains Its firm attitude with
out being provocative.
Il believe the stronger attitude
we take without being proyoca-
tive--and we will not be--the
better chance we have of avoid,
Ing war" Mr.. Rankin told news
conference.
Equipment Flown In.
At secret air bases on Formosa,
confident United States combat
pilots stood poised for any even
tuality.
Big transport planes new In
tons Of heavy equipment to sup
port the fighter -bomhers and
their crews.
While the United States beefed
up its forces in the Formosa
area, Nationalist warpianes
roared out to attack Red ship
ping and Communist island out
posts near the Tachens.
Nationalist headqs1arteEs
claimed direct hits on B l.S00-II
ton Red warship 36 miles north
east of the Tachens. Head
quarters also clainaed excellent
results In raids On Red-heid
Tournen and Yikiangshan Is
lands.
Superior Air Power Seen.
The American ofhcial in
Taipeh who said he thought
Quenoy and Matsu would be
taken under the United States
wing, said the development Of
Communist air power had
changed the positions Of the
Tachen Islands in recent years.
But, he said, the Reds were not
In q position to assume COM
mand Of the air over Quetnoy
and Matsu. The Nationalist
air force, with help from the
United States, would be able to
maintain its present superiority.
The source said the Reds must
have foreseen that their invasion
Of tiny Yikiangshan Island would
provoke world attention, but he
was sure they didn't anticipate
the vigorous United States re-
action.
He also said that in view Of
the Communist oft-repeated
threats to "liberate" Formosa. he
didn't think the Reds would
agree to any sort Of cease-fire
plan, such as has been proposed
In several world capitals.
The Nationalists, too. he said.
are opposed to q cease-fire be-
cause they were apparently afraid
1t would lead to a large Red del
esation going to the United Ma
tions. more talk of admitting the
Reds to the world organization
and particularly to the implica-
ton the Nationalists are abaii-
doning their goal Of reconquer-
Ing the mainland.
tPeiping radio trumpeted
that Mr.. Eisenhower was ask
ing Congress for dictatorial
powers to start war which has
never been possessed by his
predecessors.")t
Reds Reported Massed.
A Nationalist deputy military
spokesman today estimated that
the Reds had massed 400. 900
troops in the two provinces oppo-
site Formosa and President
Chang Kai-shek's string Of is
land outposts.
He said the Red forces, which
include security troops and vet
erans Of the Korean war. were
about equally divided between
Chekiang and Fukien Provinces.
Some are within gun range Of
the Nationalist island outposts.
The Communists also have a
string of mainland air bases
which have mounted 200 plane
NJ A.