U.S. PRESTIGE IN ASIA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26151, 29 June 1950, Page 5

U.S. PRESTIGE IN ASIA

HONG KONG, June 27. Well-informed political observers in Hong Kong predicted to-day a heavy s umo in American prestige among the millions of Chinese and other peoples o' East and South-east Asia if Communist North Korea overruns the Southern Republic. They said that many of these people b o ed upon the United States as responsible for Soutn Korea, and there would be widespread disillusionment if she allowed her creation to go under. Cn the other hand, the Soviet Union, which had sponsored North Korea, would gain enormously in stature. They said the Chinese and others would consider the effectiveness of American aid to South Korea in assessing the value of similar aid already given Formosa, and it was believed thev would not be impressed. Nor was it believed that much comfort could be derived bv Hong Kong from the aid which the United States promised this colony last year should it be threatened.

Most of the Chinese in Hong Kong have accepted the invasion calmly. Some Europeans, however, have become most uneasy and they are tentatively considering evacuation, but well-informed sources consider that Hong Kong is well down the list of objectives for Communist attention because of the colony’s continuing usefulness as a supply point for China. Oil Plant Explosion in Syria.— Eighty people, were killed and hundreds injured when a depot containing inflammable and explosive materials caught fire to-day at an Iraq Petroleum Company establishment at Homs. 80 miles north of Damascus. Neighbouring buildings were wrecked. Rescue work started while the Sre was still blazing.—Damascus, une 27.