VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OUT OF QUESTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27567, 8 December 1950, Page 7

VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OUT OF QUESTION

Anglo-American Agreement ! On Korean Issue NZPA—Copyright Rec. 9.30 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 7. While President Truman and the British Prime Minister, Mr Attlee have agreed that no voluntary withdrawal from Korea could be contemplated and that no compromise could' be made with aggression, there has been no agreement yet about future action if there is a forced withdrawal, says the Washington correspondent of The Times. The American Secretary of State, Mr Dean Acheson, has been advocating a policy of “ limited war ” against China, and that now appears to be the policy that the United States will press for, meaning what used to be known as economic sanctions—the blockade of the Chinese coast and the interruption of Chinese coastwise shipping. There are some who would include the bombing of the Chinese mainland, but as this would tie up valuable aircraft in an essentially unproductive task it is unlikely to be part of the American plan.

President Truman and Mr Attlee are in agreement on general strategic questions, says Reuter. Well-in-formed sources gave this picture of the stage reached after three days of discussion of the steps to be taken in the world crisis resulting from Chinese Communist intervention in Korea. President Truman and Mr Attlee have decided that any thought of the United Nations willingly evacuating Korea is out of the question. Mr Attlee made it clear that Britain has no regrets about the decision taken by the United Nations at the suggestion of the United States to help the South Koreans to resist open flagrant aggression last June. President Truman and Mr Attlee are ■greed:— 1. That the United Nations position of condemning aggression by any Power can never be compro- * mised. 2. Any proposed settlement of the -Korean problem cannot involve in any way direct or indirect condoning of aggression. 3. Everything practicable must be done to preserve United Nations unity within the limits of basic principles which will never be abandoned. The attitude of both national leaders •nd their advisers is one of calm, deliberate, resolute facing up to the grave international situation. President Truman himself feels that whatever proposals are discussed in the United Nations, the Korean question is of primary importance. In the economic field, President Truman and Mr Attlee have instructed their aides to produce recommendations clearing the way for AngloAmerican agreements on increased armaments and scarce raw materials. Mr Attlee emphasised the importance of Britain maintaining a sound economy so that she could make a maximum contribution to the common defence effort. He also stressed the necessity of pooling resources to step Up production.

British and American economic experts are now studying every possible method for accelerating production throughout the entire free world. President Truman said that agreement should be reached at the earliest possible moment on the sources of raw materials, their distribution, military and civilian goods, and the principles of equal sacrifice by Britain and the United States. Officials said the talks between President Truman and Mr Attlee would probably continue until Friday. This would permit the experts to report back with recommendations before Mr Attlee leaves Washington. The White House announced tonight that President Truman and Mr Attlee had agreed to go forward in building up the military strength of the Atlantic community. A formal statement issued after the second meeting today- of the two leaders said:— “There was a full discussion of the problems relating to the defence of the North Atlantic community. The Prime Minister and the President were in full agreement on the necessity of carrying out urgently the plans and programmes developed by the North Atlantic Treaty organisation. They agreed that along with other members of the North Atlantic Treaty organisation, they would go forward with energy in building up the military strength of the Atlantic community.” Republican senators demanded tonight that President Truman undertake no secret agreements in his talks with Mr Attlee. They introduced a resolution asking that any understandings or agreements which might commit the United States to any course of action be submitted to the Senate for ratification in treaty form. They also called for a “ full and complete ” report by the President ,as soon as the talks with Mr Attlee were completed. The resolution was introduced by Senator James Kem, with the statement that it was aimed at preventing a “ second Yalta or a second Potsdam.”