Evening star., 1955-01-29
Chino Policy

It now looks like we are just about
at grips in Asia. and alone so far as the
Western powers are concerned.
It strikes me that we have not de-
veloped 9 winning issue and have placed
our faith upon the wrong force n1ili-
tary strategy and physical force irl-
stead of law and morals. I have diff
Guilty in following the argument that
we are defending our line of defense IN
Asia and that the Pescadores and For
nosa are an integral part of that line
Of defense. # these islands are a
part Of our line Of defense. where IS
China's line Of defense? It must be the
actual ceastline and possibly the imme-
diately odshore islands. In short she
has no defense line; and that goes for
Japan and Russia also. If we are
striving for world dominion, our de-
tense lines would logically extend to
the remotest parts of the earth; other
wise. we have no more right to q de-
tense line around most OF the Asiatic
mainland than Russia or China has for
a defense line just of our coast and
hinged upon Cuba. If we expect to
live in peace in Asia or elsewhere, we
must begin to recognize the other fell
lows rights.
We do have right to be in these
islands. Formosa and Pescadores. In
1895 China ceded these islands to
Japan, and SO years later Japan sur
rendered them to us, not to China: and
they are still ours. It's true that we did
say at Cairo in 1943 that If and when
we conquered Japan we would restore
these islands to China: but we have
done no such thing, and until we sur
render them to someone, it is our SOL
emn duty and responsibility in both law
and morals to protect the peoples of
these islands against harm from any
source We can't abdicate this inter-
national law and moral responsibility
to Chang Kai-Shek or to Red China.
It's our duty to defend these islands
against the world at this time. If
Chang does not honor such an obli-
cation on our part, put him in chains.
We can't permit him to hazard the
lives of our wards.
When we have accepted our full re-
sponsibility respecting these islands, 1t
would be well for us to tell the world
that we are holding these islands only
until the u. N. or the responsible
Asiatic powers-Japan. China. Russia
and India--can work out a control of
these islands which will not permit
their use as springboard or jumping
off ground in an attack upon some
Asiatic power. This would allay any
misgivings or suspicious as, to our pur-
pose in protecting these islands. Our
7th Fleet would have peaceful mean
ixao ivaf a Etr,ssr1 otpoff {Y1 Nf
Asians. Nothing else we can do would
so promote the peace in that area Of
the world.
Pittsboro, NJ G.
The President has said that the
American people must defend, with
their lives if necessary. the island of
Formosa from possible invasion by the
Chinese Communist government on the
ground that the peace and security of
our country require it. This is utterly
unsound and without logic.
Since the overthrow of the Manchus,
China has been like rowboat in the
middle of the Atlantic during furious
storm. She has been plagued with wars
between factions, between generals, be-
tween personalities; with dissension,
schisrn. and rebellion. No one party or
army ever completely subdued the
whole, though Chang nearly did. SO
that it could hardly be said there was
ever truly government of the Chinese
people.
The fight between Mao and Chang
is but a continuation of the age-old
81. ia nticyre
among the Chinese people. It is nothing
to get excited about.
The question of who is to govern In
China is question for the Chinese to
settle. That it is being settled by force
is to be deplored; yet such methods are
often the only manner in which such
questions can be decisively determined.
The American Revolution and the Civil
War are two cases in point in our own
history.
BY injecting ourselves into the affair,
we may well provoke another world war.
Let lis be strong, yes. and always
ready to defend our land and people.
But let us not send our fleet to the
coasts of other nations under the guise
Of our national security being In jeop-
ardy. Let us make friends. not enemies
H. Mertz, Jr.
$50
In times Of crisis men often show
sad tendency to lose their perspective.
Surely case in point is the present
proneness to characterize Chang Kai-
Shek as symbol Of the free world"
If we persist in this posture, the United
States will appear to the world as
Soviet propaganda would paint US
half idiot. half scoundrel II we are to
hold on to our friends, win over the
neutral nations and avoid throwing the
restless continent of Asia to the enemy.
we must weigh all our commitments to