WESTERN AID TO SOUTH ASIA

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26159, 8 July 1950, Page 7

WESTERN AID TO SOUTH ASIA

“ NEW IMPORTANCE OF SYDNEY PLAN ” (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 7. “Korean events have given a new importance to the Sydney plan for aiding Communist-threatened countries in South and South-east Asia ” said the “Manchester Guardian.” in a leading article to-day. “The present crisis has made it more urgent that the West should define its policies and intentions in non-Communist parts of Asia.

‘ The Communists will represent the Korean campaign as a holy Asian struggle to be free finally from Western imperialism. The only way to answer this is by a practical demonstration that independent Asian countries will gain from a Western connexion.

“Without interfering in genuine domestic politics, the West must offer technical assistance and capital for starting the economic and social transformation desired by young, vigorous South Asians. To cover South Asia with electrical generators, factories, and improved communications and to double the crops will be good, but it is essential to cover South Asia with contented people—and people will not' be content if development profits are taken by the entrepreneur, the merchant. and the money-lender. “Here is a problem on which the Colombo Council might also prepare a report for the London conference in September.”