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

- 49, -
in friendly hands is essential
to the vital interests of the
United States; that Congress
has authorized the President to
defend Formosa and (under
certain circumstances the on
shore islands; that while he is
not clear yet that these cricum-
stances exist. If he thought they
did exist he would defend them; |
that the defense Of Quemoy has
become increasingly related to
the defense of Formosa: and
finally that this action would
forecast q widespread use Of
force in the Far East" and
would threaten peace every
where" In conclusion the state
ment urges the Chinese Com
munists to renounce force in
the Formosa area.
This is the falling domino"
argument which we heard some
years ago about Indochina. Here
it is that, If the small islands
are captured, then Quemoy will
be captured. If this occurs. For
mosa will fall. Then Southeast |
Asia. and so on until the United
States is imperiled. But now
there is an added note. This is |
furnished by an interpretation
of the statement by "a high
ranking American" official as
meaning that. If Chang Kali
shek cannot hold Quemoy.
American fighting men will be
sent in to do so. That official
was Secretary Dulles. In short,
the decision seems now to have
been made to defend Quemoy,
even though it leads to world
war.
Let us see what justifies 80
horrendous q decision. To do
so requires a review of the
premises on which this justin
cation for world war is founded.
Is Formosa in friendly hands
essential to the vital interests
of the United States? Congress
certainly has been led to say so.
1880 Decisions Cited
But Congress cannot make
something true which is not
true. -Four times between 1913
and 1850 our highest military
authorities concluded that this
proposition was not true and
did not justify American mill
tary action.
But however that may ne, it
is not involved here. The inn
mediate question here is
whether the defense of Quemoy
is vital to the defense of For
mosa.
The Newport statement does
not face this quite frankly.
What it says is that "the Sc
curing and protecting of QUE
moy and Matsu have increas-
ingly become related to the
defense Of Taiwan (Formosa) :"
This is q very different thing.
What is really meant is that,
after the Presidents message
to Congress in 1883 on "un-
leashing" Chang KaiAshek, he
was unleaShed just enough to
permit the incredible folly of
transporting about q third of
his forces to the untenable
Quemoy. The obvious goal to
be sought is to get them back
again.
i Whatever might at one time
have been said for the utility
Of Quemoy as an advance de-
Tense against a weak regime
without air or sea power, in the
face Of present Chinese air and
rocket power it can be defended
only by general war with
China-as Mr.. Dulles, indeed,
asserts. The Chinese National
lists have been quite frank that
the coastal islands are held for
offensive and not defensive
purposes. See statement Of
Nationalist Major General Yin
Tien-chia. New York Times,
July 10, 1857.
Control Seen Lost
The fact Of the matter is
that our Government has most
iunwisely Unanswered itself,
} with the help Of Chang Kali
shek. into q situation of which
it has lost control. Either the
Nationalist or the Commu-
: nists, or both. can at any mo-
ment-this is one Of them
: precipitate US into war or back
down. The attitude of the ad-
: ministration is that nothing
. will be done to extricate our