VOTING IN SENATE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27569, 28 January 1955, Page 11

VOTING IN SENATE

Some Objections

To Plan

(Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Jan. 26. The resolution based on President Eisenhower’s message clarifying United States intentions and policy on the Formosa Strait area may not have an unopposed passage through the United States Senate. It has already been approved by the House of Representatives. Formal Senate consideration will not begin until tomorrow, but Senator Russell Long (Democrat, Louisiana) did not wait for that. Taking the floor with a prepared speech, he said the Formosa resolution might be used by “the friends of Chiang Kai-shek” to try to involve the United States in a third world He asked Senators not to “rush” to approve the resolution. In the combined foreign relations and armed services committees, the opposition votes were cast by Senators William Langer (Republican, Maryland) ‘ and Wayne Morse (Independent, Oregon). Members said that the seven Democrats who voted to send the resolution to the Senate floor had reserved the right to oppose the proposal there. The Democrats included Senator Estes Kefauver (Tennessee), William Fulbright (Arkansas) and Hubert Humphrey (Minnesota). Senator Humphrey and Senator Kefauver made attempts to amend the resolution in the closed committee session, but lost by 20 votes to eight. Senator Humphrey’s proposed amendment would have had the effect of limiting the President’s authority. He opposed a grant of authority to defend Quemoy, the Matsu Islands and possibly to bomb Chinese troop concentrations on the mainland. Senator Kefauver*s amendment, in effect a substitute, proposed to put Congress on record —without being legally binding as the House-approved resolution would be —as affirming the President’s powers to defend Formosa and the Pescadores until the United

Nations could take effective action to orotect these areas from aggression. Senator Kefauvefr told a reporter it was his present intention to bring before the Senate itself his substitute motion which the committee had rejected. Senator Mike Mansfield (Democrat. Montana) said he thought the Senators who reserved the right to oppose the resolution would consolidate their strength behind the Kefauver substitute.

Within an hour after the committee had voted. Senator Langer offered in the Senate an amendment which would declare that the resolution should not be construed as authorising the President to use the United States armed forces on the China mainland or to intervene in the defence of Nationalist-held islands within 12 miles of the China Coast, except for the specific purpose of helping to withdraw Nationalist troops and civilians. He told reporters his purpose, m offering the amendment was to prevent having a war with China unless it first comes back to Congress.”

The Foreign Secretary (Sir Anthony Eden) virtually revealed the goal of the Three-Power Washington discussions in his statement to the House of Commons.

This amounted to a long-term plan for a cease fire in which the Communists would agree to leave Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists in control in Formosa and the Pescadores, but would get the Nationalist-held islands off the China coast.

Mr Chou En-lai, the Communist Prime Minister, has, in fact, rejected this proposal in advance, but Britain is expected to urge the Communist Government to give the plan further consideration. “Striking Contrast” The striking contrast between the presentation of the question by Sir Anthony Eden and President Eisenhower to their respective legislatures has caused wide diplomatic comment in London. There is no difference on the fundamental aim of British and American policy, but each Government had to take account of pressing domestic and political factors in approaching the problem. Mr Eisenhower strongly emphasised the military measures to which he was prepared to resort to prevent Formosa falling into Communist hands. Sir Anthony Eden, under strong attack from Opposition sympathisers with Peking’s claim, openly supported the right of the Communist Chinese to the coastal islands. These include the Quemoy group, which the United States has declared it will defend if the Communists attack in a way that could be taken as a preliminary to an invasion of Formosa or the Pescadores.

Officials in London make no secret of their belief that a Communist attempt to invade Quemoy would pose Washington with a very grave problem. the solving of which couli seriously strain British, and American solidarity.

Eisenhower Curtails Travel Plans

(Rec. 8 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. President Eisenhower has decided to limit his travel for the next two or three months to places within two hours’ air travel time from Washington. This was reported today by Mr James Hagerty, the White House Press Secretary, who insisted that no emergency had forced the decision. He was replying to a reporter who asked about travel prospects between now and Easter.

Mr Hagerty said President Eisenhower wanted to remain close at hand during this session of Congress for the next two or three months.

He said it would be “foolish” for him to contend that the Far Eastern crisis did not enter into the matter, but he said the limitation had been decided upon before the President asked Congress for specific authority to defend Formosa.