Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-29

N14d11 u1du NCOL &c Vi I1IC OC14-
ate Foreign Relations Committee
predicted today Democrats will
support President Eisenhower
"all the way" in whatever deci-
sion he finally makes for or
against defense of the Quemoy
and Matsu Islands.
His statement came on the
eve of two days Of White House
meetings between the President
and leaders of both parties. The
first bipartisan conference to-
morrow will be with House lead
ers. Top-ranking Senators will
be called in Thursday.
In contrast to Senator Georges
prediction of support for the
President, Senator Sparkman,
Democrat of Alabama said in a
separate interview he feels Mr..
Eisenhower and Secretary of
State Dulles are joining Senate
Republican leaders in turning
the G. o. P. into a War Party"
Sparkman Sees "Verge of War"
Senator Sparkman said in his
view the United States now
stands ION the verge of war" in
the Far East. The 1852 Demo-
cratic vice presidential nominee.
who is a member of the Foreign
Relations Committee, declared:
ut looks like the Republican
Party in power is developing into
a war party. would include
the President. the Secretary of
State, the Senate Republican
leader and the Chairman of the
Senate Republican Policy Com
mittee in this category"
In discussing with reporters
the explosive situation around
Formosa. Senator George en-
phasized that he has not formed
any personal opinion as to
whether the United States should
defend Quemoy and Matsu, be-
cause it is one for military ex-
perts and the President.
At the same time, the Demo-
cratic dean of the Senate made
it clear he has no information
indicating that a Communist
attack on the islands is immi-
uent.
Sees No Hour of Decision
Despite published reports over
the week end that some officials
here think the Chinese Reds
might move against the islands
within two weeks, Senator
George said:
$50 far as I know, there are
no facts to indicate the time of
decision has arrived. I believe
there will be a good deal of talk
yet before there is any about
major attack on the islands"
Risks Involved
Senator George laid down some
basic factors he said the Presi-
dent would have to weigh, one
against the other, before decid-
ing on this country's course if
the offshore islands are at
tackled.
On one side of the ledger,
Senator George said, a decision
to defend the islands would in
volve the risk of alternating Eu-
ropean allies who oppose that
course. For that reason, Senator
George believes, there would
have to be strong showing that
Quemoy and Matsu are vital to
the defense of Formosa to JUS
tify taking that risk.
On the other side Of the ques-
ton, he said failure to defend
the islands might involve losing
the strength represented by the
Chinese Nationalist Army. plus
the loss of the moral support of
other free areas in Southeast
Asia.
On this side of the equation
also would be the danger that
the United States would appear
to other peoples in Asia to be
only a paper tiger" if it did not
resist. Senator George added
He said the President and his
military advisers would have to
decide which of these risks out
weighed the other.
Pledges Support
Senator George said he thinks
Democrats will support the
President all the way because l
don't think any hurried decision
will be made. If the time comes
to make that decision-and
don't think it has arrived yet
it will not be made hurriedly."
Senator George avoided peing
drawn into the controversy
which developed on the Senate
floor yesterday between Demo-
cratic Leader johnson of Texas
and Republican Leader Know
land of California over whether
there is a war party" in this
country. Senator johnson had
taken the floor to make an OPP
timistic forecast that the White
House conferences this week may
set the stage for a positive
program for peace"
He drew the fire of Senator
Knowland, however, when ne
suggested that this country does
not want war party" or an