Evening star., 1958-09-09
BY EARL H. VOSS
Star stan Writer

Star star Writer
Administration officials. while
declining to be quoted by name,
today freely criticized Dean
Acheson's attack on United
States China policy.
Mr.. Acheson. regarded as the
leading foreign policy spokes-
man of the Democratic Party,
charged in a statement last
Saturday that the United States
was drifting. either dazed or
indifferent, toward war with
China, a war without friends or
allies, and over issues which the
administration has not pre-
sented to the people, and
which are not worth a single
American life"
The former Secretary Of
States fundamental error. in
the opinion Of his highly placed
administration critics. is his as
sumption that the main stakes
involved are the offshore is
lands around Quemoy and
Matsu.
bigger Issue Involved
1T isn't Americans dying for
Quemoy and Matsu," one Of
fetal explained. Its a ques-
ton of the Communists them
selves claiming this is an ef-
fort to iberate Taiwan (For-
mosa). which would mean the
liquidation of Free China and
of our whole security position
| in the Western Pacific. It is
the opinion of our military as
we'll as of innumerable Of our
allies that if Taiwan is lost II
would mean not only a catas-
trophic blow to the prestige Of
the West in Asia but would
probably result in all Asia be-
ing taken over by the Com
munists."
Since August %. the off1cial
pointed out, Peiping has made
at least IL broadcasts to For
mosa, almost all of them point
| ing to FormoSa as the real tar
get of the offshore-island ac-
tivity.
Soviet Premier KhrushcheV
made similar points in his lat
est letter to President Eisen-
hover, it was pointed out.
"If former Secretary Ache
son would give away Quemoy
and Matsu and Taiwan," one
administration official COM
mented Indignantly, that hap
pens to be what the Com
munist Chinese, by their own
declarations, are after. We
disagree that to liquidate free
world positions would serve the
interests Of the free world"
Administration officials took
the time to rebut Mr.. Ache
sons criticisms point by point:
l. Mr.. Acheson charged the
United States would be with
out kriends If it went to war
over the offshore islands. The
United States has had indica-
tions from many friendly ma
tions in Asia they are fearful
lest the United States sue
cumb to threatening pressures
of the Communists"
2 He charged the United
States is drifting indifferent"
toward war with China. This
| is an irresponsible" charge, ad-
ministration officials retort. In
54 of the 70 meetings at &C.
neva with the Red Chinese the
United States pressed Com
munist China for q renuncia-
ton Of force in the Formosa
Strait but she adamantly re-
! fused"
3. He charged that President
Eisenhower and Secretary
Dulles are making decisions in
secrecy" Administration Off
cials point to the congressional
debate on the Formosa resolu-
ton in 1855, passed with only
six dissenting votes. Congress
sional leaders have been kept
Uniformed of 1858 developments,
as have NATO and SEATO
Iallies.
4. He charged the adminis-
tration with stressing "an irrel-
levant legal point" that neither
Formosa nor the offshore is
lands have been held by Com
Imunist China. Administration
officials reply: This is Chinese
territory controlled by the Re-
public Of China, as Berlin is
German territory controlled by
West Germany"
S. Mr.. Acheson asserted "the
question the American people
are concerned with is +. the
common sense of war over these
Ioffshore islands" The admin
istration answer is that Quemoy
and Matsu are of mo par