Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-05-08


the Far East and reserve to
ourselves completely free
hand"
This was strong medicine, in
deed. So was the opinion of
Senator Knowland, then chair
man of the Senate Republican
Policy Committee. We should
blockade Red China-alone, if
necessary, he said. Senator Taft
went part way with him, saying
a blockade would be desirable
If it could be undertaken without
causing a rift among the allies.
These drastic sentiments-and
the extent to which they seemed
to be gaining popularity-caused
anxiety to Mr.. Eisenhower He
grappled with the problem along
two lines. First. he questioned
the practically of sterner meas
ures against Red China. Second
he raised the question of alienat-
ing our allies.
Felt Blockade Was Futile
Regarding the practically of
blockade, he told a meeting of
the White House staff on March
2. 1858, that it would be rather
useless. 1t was naive, he said, to
suppose that Red China could
be defeated by simply blocking
sea trade. China would be COM
PEELED to rely to a greater extent
on Russia for the products it
needed. At the same time this
would weaken the economies of
the free nations which custom
arily traded with China. We
should not, said Mr.. Eisenhower,
stop trade in nonstrategic goods
which yielded a net advantage
to the West. 1t might even help
extend Western influence
AS to the general political
implications of a blockade of
Red China. Mr.. Eisenhower held
that a blockade is an act of war.
Maybe Senators Taft and Know
land would be willing to go ahead
without our allies, but not Mr..
Eisenhower. He knew from
World War II the values and
difficulties of holding a coalition
together.
If you are going to go it alone
In one place, you of course have
to go it alone everywhere" he
said. mo single nation can live
alone in the world. We have got
to have friends"
Sometimes you get annoyed
with your friends. Nov, not be-
ing a particularly patient man :"
said the President, 81 share the
irritations and the sense of frus-
tration that comes to everybody
who finds himself baked by
what he thinks is sometimes, 1
say, the ignorance or errors of
someone who otherwise is his
friend" But if you are trying to
develop a coalition, "then you
have got to make compromises.
Distressed by Rider
Mr.. Eisenhower realized that
1t was impossible from a politi-
cal standpoint for the United
States to contemplate diplo-
matte recognition of Communist
China. Nevertheless, he felt it
was unfortunate that even de-
batting the subject of recognition
had come to be considered I'M
American. He remarked to as
sociateS that it might be better
II diplomatic recognition were
just a matter of acknowledging
that a government was in power
In a country, without connecting
approval or disapproval.
The emotions aroused about
Red China took a dangerous
twist. in the opinion Of Mr..
Eisenhower. when Senator Dirk
sen. Republican of Illinois, intro
duced a rider to an appropria-
tons bill under which American
contributions to the U. N. bud
get would be terminated auto
matically If Red China were adj
mitted to membership. The SEN
ate Appropriations Committee
approved it on May 81, 1858, by
q vote of 20 to 3.
The President asked congress
sional leaders to come to the
White House on June 2, 1858. He
was distressed, he told them; he
was convinced that the rider
would seriously impede him in
the conduct of foreign affairs.
He did not believe the United
States could properly serve no.
tice on the United Nations in
such q manner. Nor could the
United States risk breaking up
the u. N.
Only Machinery Available
The U. NJ, continued Mr.. Eli
senhower. is the only machinery
in existence for bringing together
all the countries of the world,
and 1t represents mankind's hope
for an eventual association OF
nations in which law will replace
the battlefield. The United States
should not commit itself irrevo-
cably on the matter Of Red Chi
ma and the U. NJ, Mr.. Eisenhow-
er said. He cited the revolution
in the American attitude toward
Germany between l945 and 1853
to illustrate how rapidly situa-
tons and outlooks can change.
A Senate leader told the PreSi-
dent he had heard many rumors
that Britain would press for adj
mission Of Red China TO the
U. N. after a Korean armiStice
was reached. He continued that
since the United States could not
be certain of carrying a U. N.
majority with it on the issue, an
American position on the subject
should now be taken actively
and aggreSsively.
Patiently and firmly. the Pres
ident disagreed. The rider, he
said, was not the right way to
register opposition to the seating