The Outlook In South-East Asia Dangerous

Wanganui Chronicle, 31 May 1949, Page 5

The Outlook In South-East Asia Dangerous

LONDON, May 30 (Recd. 6 pm).— “The outlook in South-east Asia is dangerous. But it is far from desperate. and perhaps the worst enemy of the West today is not so much Communist trouble making as a widespread feeling that nothing can be done about it,” says “The Economist.” “The sensational collapse of Nationalist China has overlaid other more hopeful developments, above all the almost equally sensational readiness of India to co-operate with the West. The first need is, therefore, to put an end to all talk of ‘cutting losses’ and orderly withdrawal’ and ‘straigntening of line.’ It is? useless to expect Asiatic peoples to wish for continued co-operation with the Western Powers if they seem contemplating a policy of scuttle. Malaya has proved that the whole population can be solidly against Communist infiltration, •nd that stern measures can check it disorders have diminished by two- : birds in recent months. “The analogy holds good for a wider area and Britain’s first task in cooperation with the Dominions is to make clear its intention to hold the line against a further Communist advance—if necessary, as in Malaya, answering force with force. Whether this determination should take the shape of a formal Pacific pact is a matter to be decided in consultation with the Pacific Dominions and with India, Pakistan and Ceylon. The inclusion of J?rance and Holland must •Iso wait on a settlement of internal problems in Indo-China and Indonesia. “But the Commonwealth is in itself he nucleus for defence provided the objective of holding South-east Asia is accepted. It need hardly be added i hat reinforcement of the proposed defence grou-p by American military nd economic aid would strengthen it ;nd consolidate it as nothing else can (io. But it is useless to wait for the Americans. At present they do not. in Mr. Acheson's words, consider that pre-conditions of a Pacific Pact exist. There is no local organisation of deience as there was in Western Europe, But if the Commonwealth takes a lead in creating such an organisation, American participation later is at least a possibility. The important thing is to start. “South-east Asia has reached a . tage somewhat comparable to that of Europe in 1947. The chance of its independent survival is small if the situation is allowed to drift. Rut the remedy still lies with the Western Powers, provided they have the courage and imagination to take the initiative in their own hands.”