Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-30
Five Confused Days

Ihere is temptation TO QeSCrlDe Cne
past five days in Washington as Operation
Confusion" For there certainly has been a
maximum of confusion at the local level as
to whether the Chinese Communists will, or
will not, attack the>Matsus and Quemoy on
or about April is.
There is one flaw, however in this desig-
nation. 1t may be that the statements pro
and con have confused our own people. But
there is nothing to be gained by confusing
ourselves. And one sure thing Is that the
Chinese Communists have not been con-
fused. They knoU whether they will, or
whether they ever planned to, attack on the
18th of April
So it is time to try to pick up the pieces
and move on. 1t was Admiral Carney, Chief
of Naval Operations, who expressed the be-
lief that the Communists might attack the
coastal islands about mid-April. In fair
ness to him, he thought he was talking to
group of newspapermen for background"
purposes, and that he would not be identi-
fled as the author of the statement. But
Admiral Carney has been named as the
spokesman by reporters who were not pres
ent at the meeting. His version of the
imminence of an attack has been rejected
at a second meeting by a presidential
spokesman. This spokesman, also supposed
to be anonymous, has been identified by
newsmen who were not present as Press
Secretary James Hagerty. There is no
doubt that he spoke with the full knowledge
and approval of the President Presumably
the. President has more comprehensive
sources of information than the Chief of
Naval Operations, and presumably he is
right and the admiral is wrong. So where
do we go from there?
One spot worth visiting is the Capitol.
In the midst of all this confusion, Senator
Sparkman, the Democratic vice presidential
candidate in 1852, has been trying to play
little politics. Fc says it looks like the Re-
publican Party is developing into "a war
party" and that he would include the Presi
dent and the Secretary of State in this cate
CORY. Senator Sparkman, who did not see
fit to vote against the resolution authoriz-
ing the President to defend Quemoy and
the MatsuS, is guilty of an unexpected meas
ure of recklessneSs and responsibility.
Does he really want the world to think that
the President is willfully trying to plunge
this country into war? 1t Is gratifying to
read the words of Democrat like Senator
George who will have no part of this dan
gerouS nonsense.
@rE Another spot worth looking at is the
Fornosa area. Excepting the Communist
Chinese, no one really knows whether Adj
mral Carney or the President is right. An
attack may come tomorrow, it may come on
April is, or it may never come. But the
one certainty is that the threat is ever
present. The Communists have stated time
and again that they are determined to Glib
crate" not only Quemoy and the Matsus, but
Formosa as we'll. Vote-consciouS politicians
may rush in where the angels would fear
to tread And there are those in this coun-
try and among our allies who sincerely be-
lieve that we should forthwith abandon the
coastal islands. But some SOLDERING ques-
lions remain. Where should a stand be
made? And at what point will our allies
be willing to make stand with us?