WAKE ISLAND TALKS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 71, Issue 6, 18 October 1950, Page 5

WAKE ISLAND TALKS

i • Indo-China Discussed NEW YORK, October 17, President Truman and General MacArthur discussed Formosa and Indo-China during their Wake Island talks, but in general rather than specific terms, informed sources to-day.

Communist China was treated similarly in Gbneral MacArthur’s outline of military problems, which did not include any political discussion of the Peiping regime. . General MacArthur emphasised that the victory in Korea wduld he lost if—through reduced United Nations’ power—the Communists later were able to conquer more valuable nations, such as Indo-China. General MacArthur ahd Mr Truman agreed that a military win could be clouded by a mis-step in handling the touchy Koreans. It was on this basis that they agreed on the withdrawal of the American trops as soon as possible, leaving security to the South Korean Army. Specific questions concerning the Philippines affected the economic strengthening of the islands and the threat posed by the, Communist-con-trolled Hukbalahap movement. The sources said that the United States naval and air forces would be maintained at considerably greater strength in the Far East than before the Korean hostilities began. The future deployment of. the American infantry divisions brought to Korea from-the United States was not disclosed. However, the informants said that some of them might be kept in the Far East. There was no suggestion that Mr Truman had any thought, of taking General MacArthur to task for his statements, with which the President sometimes had disagreed publicly. The amicable tone of the conference was underlined by General . , MacArthur’s obvious good humour when he returned to Tokio.' . 1