Evening star., 1961-03-12
u. N. and Red China

Secretary Of State Dean Rusk has
resorted to classical understatement in
declaring that any attempt to seat Red
China IN the United Nations, and to
Dust the Formosa- based Chinese Ma
tionaliStS, would create "a very serious
problem indeed"
Yet, although Mr.. Rusk obviously
does not welcome the prospect and has
implicitly warned our friends and allies
against it, there are growing expecta-
lions that such an attempt will be made
with the utmost vigor-if not with much
wisdom or common sense-at next falls
10th regular session Of the General AS
sembly. And there are those who pre-
dict that the decision will be In favor
OF Peiplng-a development that could
nave an exceedingly adverse effect,
perhaps fatal one, on the U.N.'s future.
There can be no doubt, in any case,
that an Assembly vote to admit Red
China and expel the Chinese Nationalists
would ALLEVIATE American public opinion
on massive scale and thus destroy, or
gravely weaken, our country'S hereto
fore rather enthusiastic popular support
Tor the world organization. That Is
why Mr.. Rusk has not exaggerated, but
has actually put it very mildly, in sug-
geStlng that consequences of great
seriousness could flow from UN. COM
mitment to take Peiping to its bosom
while casting the Nationalist government
OF Chang Kai-shek into the outer
darkness.
Advocates Of such action have come
to include more than just the Com
munlSt bloc and the "neutralistS." True.
last October'S Assembly vote on the
iSSue-42 on our side, "a against, and %
aostentionS-was relatively reassuring,
especially in view Of the fact that Red
China must receive the support of two
thirds Of the U.N.'S members to be
ADMITTED. Even so, the majority op-
posed to admission has been dwindling
over the years, and now there is a lot
OF talk about how countries like Britain
and Brazil have decided to Join Norway,
Denmark, Ireland and other non-Com-
munist lands in favoring the seating of
Peiping.
AS Mr. RuSk has observed, however,
the British have not yet informed him
OF any omcial decision on this matter,
and there is to be constant consulta-
ton" between them and us-and with
other interested governments, includ-
Ing Brazil's-before the issue comes
before the General Assembly next
September. So there is more than a
little reason to take reserved view of
unquallf1ed predictions that Red China
Will be admitted to the UN. between
now and the end Of the year.
Actually, Of course, since the prime
requirement for membership is that the
applicant be 'peace-loving," Peiping
is utterly unfit for admission. This
holds true not only because the
Chinese Communists, as President Ken
nedy has just said, are extremely
belligerent" and "unfailing in their
attacks upon the United States" but
also because Of their appallingly bad
record elsewhere-for example, their
aggression in Korea, their genocide in
Tibet, their never-ending threat Of
force against Formosa, their incursions
IN India and their subversion in places
like Laos.
Here is record that speaks for
itself with dismal eloquence. How can
Britons or anybody else, looking at it,
mulling over 1t, be beguiled into thinking
that Peiping, as of now, is entitled to
belong to the U.N.? We leave it to the
intelligence and conscience Of our
friends and allies-those who are toying
with the idea Of voting for Red China
to supply convincing answer to them
selves as well as to US.