Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-09

ton. Chiang'S army Of an estimated
one million men was "leashed' un-
der an order of President Truman's
barring either a Red attack on
Taiwan or Nationalist assault on
the mainland. The United States
7th Fleet patrolled the Straits of
Formosa to enforce the ban.
President Eisenhower "unleashed"
Chang Kai-shek on February 2,
1858, making a Chang attack on
the mainland permissible. but it
quickly became apparent that the
Nationalist forces were unable to
take the initiative without massive
United States air, naval and ground
support.
Communist China continued a
campaign of threats and demands
on the Taiwan issue, and rushed
construction of airfields and coastal
batteries along the mainland coast
opposite the big island. But beyond
sporadic artillery duels and air
strikes, the Taiwan explosion has
been so far postponed. Despite an
obvious desire on the part of both
the United States and Red China
to avoid any open warfare in the
Taiwan area, however, the basic
situation remains as critical as it
was in 1858. (See story by Fred
Theroux on Page A-27)
Korea, although the armistice of
1853 ended actual fighting there.
is still divided. Both North Korea
under the Communists and South
Korea under the rule of Syngman
Rhee are armed to the teeth and
very, very far indeed from even a
prospect of accord on uniflcation.
So long as immense armed forces
face each other across the truce
line, Korea remains an everyday
threat to peace in Asia.
Trouble in Middle Eost
The Middle East in 1853 was torn
by constant strife between the new
ly established state of Israel and
her Arab neighbors. In addition,
Nationalist unrest throughout
North Africa threatened to result
in the complete removal of West
ern influences from the area. In
1856 the Israel-Arab dispute con-
tinues undated. a precarious and
frequently violated truce remaining
the only slender barrier to about
war.
In Algeria 100000 French troops
are attempting at great cost to
suppress stubborn Nationalist re-
volt. Morocco, after long negotia-
lions and much bloody violence,
has attained independence under
French tutelage. Tunisia has
gained a great measure OF self
rule. But the Nationalist agitation
continues undated, with the seiz-
ure of the Suez Canal Co. by Egyp-
tan President Canal Abdel Nasser
precipitating a new international
controversy, probably the most
threatening since the invasion OF
South Korea in 1850. (See excerpts
from Nasser book on Page A-2D.
Elsewhere in the Middle East,
conditions comforting to the free
world are discouragingly few. 'Jor-
dan has severed her traditional
ties with Britain, and, like Egypt,
seems to toy with the prospect OF
closer ties with the Soviet Union
in the continuing tension with
Israel. Cyprus, strategic island in
the eastern extremity of the Medi-
terranean, has for months been
sundered by bombs and bullets.
Cypriots Jealous for union. with
Greece have adopted terrorism as
a means of forcing British evacua-
ton of the island.
Only Iran, Turkey and Iraq of
all the Middle East have adhered
to the Baghdad Pact. United
States-sponsored defense treaty
supposed to set up bastion against
Soviet penetration of the vital area.
Other Arab nations, led by Egypt,
have condemned the pact in vio-
lent terms as weakening influence
on resurgent nationalism.
Finally. since 1858. the power
and influence of "neutralism" has
made great strides in important
areas of the world. The ''neutrals"
are those nations, newly emanci-
pated from colonialiSm, who choose
to remain aloof from identification
with either side in the cold war.
Led by India. the neutral" list
includes Burma, Indonesia, Ceylon,
and, in a somewhat modified sense,
the Arab states which have so far
refrained from any close identifica-
ton with the West or the East.
The world picture today reveals,
it is true, many situations which
have improved greatly since 1858.
But the continued existence of old
problems, plus the emergence of
Continued on Page A-28