Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-04

Berlin crlSlS.-Af FnO
tial to it. nor, equally impor-
tant, the morale-that is. the
hope, the confidence, the pride
necessary ito meet the dual
threat of aggression from with
out and subversion within its
borders.
Still another factl Strategic
ally, South Wet Mans capture
by the Communists would bring
their power several hundred
miles into a hitherto free region.
The remaining countries in
Southeast Asia would be men,
aced by a great f1anking move
ment. The freedom of IL
million people would be lost
Immediately. and that of $50
million others in adjacent
lands would be seriously en-
dangered. The loss of South
Wet Nam would set in motion
a crumbling process that could,
as it progressed, have grave
consequences for freedom.
Wet Nam must have a rea-
sonable degree of safety now
both for her people and prop
erty. Security and confidence
are essential to the functioning
OF any society. Where they
are lacking the result is polit-
ical, economic and social chaos,
ending in the loss of freedom.
Because of these facts, military
as well as economic help is
currently needed in Wet Nam.
Danger Is Widespread
We reach the unacceptable
conclusion that our own ma
tional interests demand some
help from us in sustaining in
Wet Nam the morale, the eco
nomlc progress and the mill
tary strength necessary to its
continued existence in freedom.
Wet Nam is just one ex-
ample. One-third of the worlds
people face a similar challenge.
All Through Africa and South
ern Asia people struggle to
preserve liberty and improve
their standards of living. 1t is
imperative that they succeed.
But some uniformed Amer
leans believe that we should
turn our backs on these people,
our friends. Our costs and
taxes are very real, while the
difficulties of others often seem
remote from us.
But the costs of continuous
neglect of these problems would
be far more than we now must
bear - indeed more than we
could afford. The added costs
would be paid not only in
vastly increased outlays of
money, but in larger drafts of
our youth into the military
establishment, and in terms of
increased danger to our own
security and prosperity.
Exports Vital to Japan
AS different kind of ex-
ample of free nation interde-
pendence, there is Japan.
where very different problems
exiSt-problemS equally vital to
the security of the free world.
Japan is an essential counter
weight to Communist strength
in Asia. Her industrial power
is the heart of any collective
effort to defend the Far East
against aggression.
Her more than 80 million
people occupy a country where
the arabic land is no more than
that of California. More per-
haps than any other industrial
nation, Japan must export to
live. Last year she had a sub
Stantial trade deficit. At one
time she had a thriving trade
with Asia, particularly with
her nearest neighbors. All that
is largely gone. Her problems
grow more grave.
For Japan there must be
more free world outlets for
her products. She does not
want to be compelled to be-
come dependent as a last re-
sort upon the Communist en-
pire. Should she ever be forced
to that extremity, the blow to
free world security would be in
calculable; at the least it would
mean for all other free nations
greater sacrifice, greater dan
ger, and lesSened economic
strength.
! Up to Free Nations
! What happens depends
largely on what the free world
nations can, and will, do.
Upon us rests a heavy re-
sponsibility. We must weigh
the facts, fit them into place.
and decide on our course of
action.
/ For a country as large. as
industrious. and as progressive
as Japan to exist with the help
Of grant aid by others, presents
no satisfactory solution. Fur
thermore, for us, the cost would
be. over the long term. increas-
ingly heavy. Trade is the key
to durable Japanese economy.
One of Japan's greatest OPP
portunities for increased trade
lies in a free and developing
Southeast Asia. The two prob