Evening star., 1955-01-21
Leaders Study
7th Fleet Role
.InChinaCrisis
Congress Muy Be
Asked TO Support
Use if Necessary
BY jones {. Roper

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today to develop a more effective
Far Eastern policy-possibl with
the help Of Congressional auth
orization for the United States
Seventh Fleet to range within
shooting distance of Commu-
mist China.
In a hush-hush atmosphere,
President Eisenhower and other
administration leaders were re-
ported considering whether to
ask Congress for a resolution
which would:
/. Authorize the United States
Seventh Fleet to aid the evacua-
tion of Chinese Nationalist
troops and civilians from Red
threatened islands of the main
land of China.
Q. Give legal Endorsement to
the present determination to use
the Seventh Fleet to protect For
mosa and the nearby Pescadores
islands from a Red invasion. II
Mr.. Eisenhower decides to sub
NIT such a resolution to Congress
he may act on Monday perhaps
addressing Congress himself.
Approval Forecast.
Senator H. Alexander Smith.
Republican, Of New Jersey pre-
dicted Congress would approve
any request by the President for
authority to use United States
air and sea power to assist in
the possible evacuation Of some
Nationalist islands.
Senator Smith, a member Of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. iisclaimed knowl-
edge that any such request might
be forthcoming, but he said he
thinks the President would get
rany authority he wants" bear
ing on the Formosa situation.
Senator Mansfield, Democrat.
of Montana, also a member OF
the Foreign Relations Commit
tee, similarly iisclaimed knowl-
edge Of any such request. but he
said it would get serious consid-
Grafton If made.
President Eisenhower has ex-
ercised q pretty patient attitude
up to now and has always taken
the position that there Is no al
tentative to peace. " Senator
Mansfield said.
Il assume he would be fully
aware Of the Implications In any
such proposal"
Use of the Seventh Fleet
for evacuating Nationalist-held
islands probably would mean
that American warships and
carrier-based planes would move
into the area while q battle was
in progress.
Danger to Fleet.
This, of course. would carry
grave danger that the American
fleet would become involved in
the shooting.
Mr.. Eisenhower apparently
would not want to risk this un-
less he had full Congressional
backing.
Mr.. Eisenhower also is said to
be considering whether he should
have Congressional approval Of
his use of the fleet to protect
Formosa and the Pescadores.
Secretary Of State Dulles has
stated that since the Korean war
ended there is some doubt about
the legal powers of the admins
tration to commit American
forces in the Far East.
The suggested congressional
resolution could turn out to be
only one move in an overhaul Of
United States policy toward Ma
tionalist President Chang Kali
shek and Chinese Communist
Premier Chou En-lai.
solution Sought.
Diplomatic circles are boiling
with debate over what to do
about the war between the Chi
nese Nationalist and Commu-
nistS.
United States officials imposed
extraordinary secrecy on their
discussions. Ofiicials ordinarily
available to news reporters fed
from every inquiry.
Several Congressmen. however.
spoke out on the basis of a BRIEF
ing they received yesterday from
Mr.. Dulles and Admiral Arthur
w. Radford. Chairman Of the
Joint Chiefs OF STAFF.
These Congressman said Mr..
Dulles was the first to disclose
that the administration is con-
tSee POLICY, Page A-6.)