Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-12
Stevenson's Asia Plan;
PortioI Text of Speech

Win ANU ApA g Wts-
FOLLOWING is a partial teri Of
last nights radio speech ON Far
Eastern affairs By AdlGi e.
Stevenson:
I have not spoken to my fellow
countrymen for more than four
months. And I do so tonight only
because I have been deeply dis
turbed by the recent course of
events in the Far East and be-
cause many of you have asked
for my views. / have waited until
the first excitement about the
islands, Quemoy and Matsu. has
subsidized and we can more calm
ly examine our situation in the
Straits of Formosa and in Asia. -.
-. The possibility Of war just
now seems to hinge upon Que
moy and Matsu, small islands
that lie almost as close to the
coast Of China as Staten Island
does to New York. Why are we
in this bleak situation? Why is
all the world anxious?
Well. the Implications Of our
country's recent Formosa policy
cannot be overstated. But ] shall
not enlarge now on the injury
it has done us and the confusion
it has wrought. not only among
the uncommitted nations of Asia,
but among our allies in Europe
Wavering Policy
In brief, having first "un-
leased" Gen. Chang Kai-shek,
presumably for attacks on the
mainland, it appears that after
some sober second thoughts
President Eisenhower is now
trying to releash him and re-
turn to the previous policy. Just
a couple of months ago when
the Chinese Communists made
menacing gestures at other
coastal islands occupied by the
Nationalist, our Government
had the disagreeable task OF
forcing Gen. Chang to evacuate
the Tachen Islands which he had
reinforced as a by-product of our
own policy of encouraging the
threat of invasion.
And oday we find ourselves
facing another difficult decision
over the defense Of the Quemoy
and Matsu islands. also presuIn-
ably fortified by the Chinese Ma
tionalists with our approval and
assistance. Having limited at
American intervention in Indo-
China, and then done nothing;
having forced Chang Kai-shek
to evacuate the Tachen islands;
we now face the bitter conse-
quences of our Governments
Formosa policy once again;
either another damaging and ilu-
initiating retreat. or else the haz-
ard of war, modern war, I'M
leashed not by necessity. not by
strategic judgment, not by the
honor of allies or for the defense
of frontiers, but by policy based
more on political difficulties mere
at home than the realities Of our
situation in Asia. If we should
withdraw under fire from the
defense of these islands. we again
act the paper tiger: if we join
in their defense, we are at war,
perhaps world war, without ma
jor allies and with most of pub
lie opinion in Asia and Europe
against us.
Given these unhappy choices.
It appears that President Eisen.
hover will decide what to do II
and when the attack comes, de-
pending on whether in his iudg-
ment it is just an attack on these
islands or prelude to an as
sault on FormoSa. While our
President has great military ex-
perience, perhaps it is not i'm
proper to ask whether any man
can read the mind of an enerly
within few hours of such at
attack and determine whether at
some later date. the enemy plans
to go further and invade For
mosa. Is it wise to allow the dread
question of modern war to hinge
upon such a guess? Moreover. it
would seem to me difficult for
any leader to make rational,
calculated decision under fire In
the explosion of emotion. it is
easy to be swept into war.
Argument Disputed
Those who demand a pledge
to 60 to war say that having
gone this far with Chang Ka,-
shek, to let him down now when
he is reinforcing these ISLANDS
and preparing an about stand
would deal heavy blow to the
morale of his forces and en-
danger the defenses of Formt.sa
itself.
Now there is undeniable merit
to these and other arguments.
but I must say in all candor that
they seem to me overdone by the
counter arguments. and have
the greatest misgivings about
risking third world war in de-
tense Of these little islands in
which we would have neither the
same legal justification nor the
same support as in the defense
OF Formosa. They are different
from Formosa. They have always
belonged to China. But Formosa
belonged to Japan and was coded
by the Japanese peace treaty.
We have as much right to be
there as anybody. except perhaps
the real Formosans.
But. Of course the Presidents
judgement must be final. He
asked for and got from Congress
the sole responsibility for making
this decision.
The President will have my
prayers for his wisdom and forth
tude in making this critical deci-
sion. if he must and when he
must. ! only hope that infiam-
matory advice in his party and
his administration does not un-