Show I Taft Spells Out Possible China P Policy i licy Debate over the policy the United Stales States should follow relative to Korea and China needs all the clari clarification clarification possible possible possible pos pos- sible so that we can reach a decision i and and the right decision A speech made by Senator Taft in New York City a little more than a week ago did not receive the national attention General MacArthurs MacArthur's speech to Congress did but It shed considerably more light on the question of possible alternative policies In Korea and China Taft declared there were three possible possible possible ble policies One would be appeasement he did not accuse the Truman administration of following such a policy policy pol pol- icy he said one can be certain under this wavering administration that it will not be adopted Second policy Taft said was a kind of line Maginot-line policy advocated advocated advocated by Mr Truman which envisioned a stalemate war in Korea The third alternative said Taft was that favored by Gen General ral MacArthur MacArthur- and Taft TaCt spelled out that policy in considerably considerably considerably con con- more detail than the general did in his talk to Congress It is for a amore amore amore more active war against red China Senator Taft said there were two proposals for carrying on a more active war against China One is that we assist assist assist as as- Chinese Nationalist troops to land landon on the mainland of China The other is that we bomb communications supply depots and industrial plants in Manchuria Manchuria Man Ian churia and China itself Concerning aid to Nationalist troops on Formosa and to guerillas operating in south China Taft said it seemed ridiculous ridiculous ridiculous ridic ridic- ulous to him that we ve should not follow a policy which would make trouble forthe forthe for forthe the Chinese Communists and force withdrawal withdrawal with with- val dra of some of their troops from Korea He qualified ed the idea of invasion invasion invasion inva inva- sion by doubting if Chiang Kai shek could make an out all invasion of the mainland at this time but he asserted that Chiang could keep South China in inan inan inan an uproar Certainly this proposal makes sense It has long been advocated by many including this newspaper who were not prepared to go the whole route of expansion expansion expansion ex ex- of the Korean war into China itself The administration has certainly failed to give Nationalist forces the kind of support they should have had We Ve have passed up an excellent opportunity for giving the Communists a dose of their own medicine of guerilla harass harass- ment We Ve have stupidly insisted on having American boys carry the major burden of fighting Chinese Communists instead of permitting and encouraging Communist anti Chinese to do at least some of the fighting On the other proposal there willand willand will willand will will- and we think should still should still be doubts Senator Taft seemed to think that bombing bombing bombing bomb bomb- ing of Chinese bases communications and industries would not bring on all- all out war Maybe it wouldn't although wouldn't-although although there is by no means assurance on that I point But would it solve the situation in Korea Would it force the Chinese reds to sue for peace Might it not instead plunge us into a never ending struggle with China which would sap our strength as it sapped Japanese strength This we think is the real issue in inthe inthe inthe the Korea China policy dispute The Theother Theother Theother other aid to Chiang and Chinese guerillas should guerillas should have been settled long ago through the removal of Secretary Acheson and the repudiation of the illogical il illogical illogical il- il logical policy toward Chiang he had so long espoused It would be a wise course for Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress and the administration on without regard for political lines to change that Chiang policy now without now without delay Then while we see what can be accomplished through support of oC Communist anti aiti Chinese Chinese Chi Chi- Chinese nese elements we could debate the more ticklish question of American direct assault assault assault as as- sault against key targets in China itself |