Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-09-07

Od1eu OF ululIleTeut, toward
war with China. a war without
friends or allies. and over issues
which the administration has
not presented to the people and
which are not worth a single
American life. Apparently,
also. the President and Secre-
tary Dulles. with or without
military advice, will make all
the decisions for us. surrounded
by secrecy designed to keep
everyone guessing.
In this situation we ought
to examine with a sharp eye
the Eisenhower Dulles pro-
nouncement from Newport Of
September 4.
1t makes eight points.
Point 1. Neither Formosa nor
the offshore islands have ever
been held by the Chinese Com
munist government.
So far as the offshore islands
are concerned, this is an irrele-
want legal point. The import
ant fact is that always. until
the present civil war, the off,
shore islands-Quemoy. Little
Quemoy and Matsu-have been
controlled by the same power
which controlled the adjacent
coast. These. whatever may be
said Of Formosa, are coastal
islands, as are Long Island,
Staten Island and Martha's
Vineyard. Their population is
minimal.
The only purpose Of their
being held by q force hostile
to the mainland government is
to block the mainland harbor
or Annoy and to offer a threat
as an invasion base. Only
weakness would lead q main
land government, whatever its
nature, to permit this situation
to continue. No American in
terest is served merely by deny
ing them to a regime con-
trolled by the mainland.
Point 2. Two statements are
made here:
First: That the United States
has treaty obligations regard
ing the defense Of Formosa.
True. but at the time that the
treaty was before the Senate,
Secretary Dulles was specific
that it had no bearing on the
offshore islands. THE position
on the offshore islands," he
said, sis unaffected by this
treaty. Their status is neither
promoted by the treaty. nor is
it denoted by the treaty"
tPress Release 6S6S Dec. /,
1851
Second: The President is au-
thorized by Congress to employ
our armed forces to protect
these islands. To be wholly ac-
curate, the language of Con-
gress refers to the protection
of such related territories
:. as he judges to be required
or appropriate in assuring the
defense Of FormoSa -"
The question the American
people are concerned with is
not one of legal authority
(Which under the congressional
resolution is left to the Presi-
dents conseience), but rather
with the question Of the COM
mon sense Of war over these
offshore islands.
Point 3. The statement says
that the seizure of the offshore
islands by the mainland gov
eminent would be seizure Of
new territory. and, therefore,
q violation of the principles on
which world order is based.
This perverts simple words.
The principles on which world
order is based whatever they
may be- are not involved at all.
Two Chinese forces are con-
tending over Chinese coastal
islands which quite obviously
have much more effect on the
security Of the mainland Gas
the present state Of the port
of Annoy demonstrates) than
upon that of Formosa Except
as a base for invading the
mainland).
Points 1 and S. These para
graphs state that the Chinese
Communists have been bonn
harding Quemoy, that theil
radio has also been threatening
an attack on Formosa las. in
deed, it has for eight years.
but that neither Chinese Com
munist intentions to invade MOI
the capacity Of Chang Kai-
shek to defend Quemoy are
clear.
All Of this is true, so far al
1t goes. But 1t does injustice Il
our capacity to discern Chimes
intentions. on both sides. TwC
intentions are pretty clear: One
Chang Kai-shek's, to embroi
the United States with his enc
mics, the Communists; thu
other. the Communist intention
to drive the United States init
conflict over an issue so unim-
portant as to lose us the sup
port Of all our friends, anC
which can never be finally set.
tied in our favor, since the Com
munists could always contro
the fighting. The tensions which
they can create at will furthel
erode the confidence in Ameri
can leadership.
Points s, 4, and 8. Thest
points are worth close attention
They begin by saying that Con.
greSs has declared that Formoss