Evening star., 1955-02-20
ForEust

Far East
1.-THE United States has no COM
mitment and no purpose to defend
the coastal positions as such. I re-
peat: AS SUCH"
That was Mr.. Dulles latest word,
spoken last Wednesday night before
the Foreign Policy Association in
New York, on United States inten-
tions in defending the Chinese Of
shore islands. What he said IN elu-
cidation showed, to Great Britain's
disappointment, how important the
"as such" was.
1.-THE basic purpose" he said, sis
TO assure that Formosa and the Pes
cadores will not be forcibly taken
over by the Chinese Communists.
However, Foreign Minister Chou says
they will use all their force to take
Formosa and they treat the coastal
islands as means to that end.
when the Nationalists voluntar-
ily evacuated the Tachen islands, the
Chinese Communists comment was:
THE liberation of these islands has
created favorable conditions for our
Peoples Liberation Army In the
liberation of Formosa.'
Thus the Chinese Communists
have linked the coastal positions to
the defense of Formosa. That is the
fact which, as President Eisenhower
said in his message to Congress
about Formosa, 'compels us to take
into account closely related areas.
Accordingly. we shall be alert TO SUD
seouent Chinese Communist actions,
rejecting for ourselves any initiative
of warlike deeds
Unmistokoble Point
AS he went on, the Secretarys
point was unmistakable. AS long as
the Chinese Communists publicly
label the offshore islands as stepping
stones to the conquest OF Formosa'
the United States intends to help
Chang defend them.
Mr.. Dulles fired q deliberate
broadside at British efforts to ar
range cease-fire by buying the
Chinese Communists off with the
offshore islands as peace Offering.
'"It should not be carelessly
assumed that peace and security Will
be promoted merely by the nom
Communist nations indefinitely
granting one-sided concessions to
the Communist nations" he said.
"A great danger in Asia is the fear
of many non-Communist peoples
that the United States has no real
intention of standing firmly behind
them. Already that fear has
mounted to the danger point. . .
"As the situation now exists,
neither the cause of freedom nor
United States security nor world
peace and security would be pro-
NOTED by undermining the faith of
the free Asian peoples in our
strength and in our willingness to
use that strength to restrain those
who violently menace liberty"
British Concern
Behind Britain's official silence
there was bitterness and fear that
the United States policy would lead
to war in the Formosa area.
Every official utterance in Wash
ington last week indicated that the
Chinese Communists would indeed
have to back down considerably If
they were to avoid a clash with the
United States. On the other hand,
If the Red Chinese were suddenly to
deny that they look on the Quemoys
and Matsu as stepping stones to
Formosa, Mr.. Dulles would have to
decide whether to believe them or
not. Pressure to take Peiping at its
word would be great, in spite OF the
Communists spotty record for We
racity.
Can the NationaliSts drag us into
q big war with Red China if Peiping
makes convincing move toward
Quemoy and Matsu?
Probably not big war. No one in
America advocates begging the
United States down on the Asiatic
mainland. But the chances for a
limited war, including air battles
over Formosa Straits and the ex-
change Of bombing raids on air
bases, would be better than ever.
When would the Communist Chi
nese be likely to attack? The Ma
tionalists predict 1t will be co-ordi-
mated with the Bangkok Conference
of Manila pact powers. which starts
next Wednesday. No one else Is pre-
dieting, although the Chinese Com
munists are reported to be holding
amphibious training exercises on
beaches near Quemoy. and bringing
in more and more troops the while.
Novel Engagement
The Chinese Communists con-
tinued to edge southwark from their
newly won bases in the Tachens.
Nationalist air and naval forces
reported they sank 81 ships, includ-
ing eight Red landing craft carry
ing about 1000 soldiers, and sub
marine In troop and supply convoy
Friday. The flotilla, whose size is
probably far less impressive than the
"21 ships" would imply. was headed
for the Taishan Islands. Saturday
Is Red junks were added to the