Defences Against The Reds

Hasty Re-Alignment Of Our

lAVING been kept in the back ground for at least eight years, the South-East Asia menace to e peace and security of the South icific countries is now right out i the front page of all Anglo

istral-American newspapers—and

mg made even more conspicuous flag-waving politicians.

For years, the Pacific Islands Jnthly was the only newspaper uch consistently described the nger in its stark reality. Other se, the situation created by the -rayal of the Dutch in Indonesia, i the rapid advance of Commun -1 j, over . South-East Asia, was ndly ignored by press and iticians alike. However, the nts of the past month or two v show both politicians and press hmg in a frenzy to the other reme.

'here are several new develop its in a situation which has been spicuously ugly ever since the of World War 11. he progressive deterioration of so-called “Republican” regime ndonesia is the first to be listed. by 4. a S °cialist Australian eminent, and by a United ions Assembly of which the tj^ila - n Socialist Minister Evatt Chairman, a gang of political mturers in Indonesia succeeded • °. ut . the 350-years-old hVifo inis^r ation, and establish in its place a Republican” set-up latter promised early elections

linder which regional governments would be elected; and the formation ?f a Federation which would enter into a Union with the Netherlands.

None of these things was done. The Republicans” clung to power and while trying to stifle public discon tent by staging a claim to Dutch New Guinea, came increasingly under the influence of a Communist Party directed from China. To-day the Indonesian “government” is kept m office by the Reds. „. during September, a party of jurists” from Indonesia was in Peking, negotiating with the Chinese Communist Government about the citizenship of the 3,000,000 Chinese Indonesia. China consented to the Indonesian ‘demand that the latter discard their Chinese nation ality—but only on condition that naturalisation be spread over several years- It is well known that the Red planners in Peking expect that Indonesia will be a Chinese “pro tectorate” by 1960.

THE next factor was the collapse of the French in Indo-China.

As soon as Red Chinese forces were released from Korea by the Truce (which Truce has never been carried on into a Peace Treaty) powerful Chinese Communist armies were directed against Northern Vietnam, which comprises the Red River—or most valuable—section of Indo-China. After years of half hearted fighting— military opera

• tions which bore a curious re s|^n^ance to the French military effort in Western Europe in 1939-40 —the French surrendered Northern Vietnam to the Reds.

Almost simultaneously, the French Government refused to join United States, Britain, Germany and the smaller nations in the European Defence Comm u n i t y—and this brought about, in August-Sep ■ tember the most rapid realign ment of forces that Western Europe ever has seen. France now takes a minor place in the plan oc Western European defence against the Communist bloc; while Ger many, restored to sovereign power, is being supported by America and Britain in forming Western Europe’s bulwark of defence against the growing threat from the Iron Curtain countries.

This took place during an equally hurried realignment of forces to face South-East Asia. Despite the glib assurances of Red China and Red Russia, the Western Powers feel that the condition of France, and the growing undependableness of India, constitute a weakness whicli must be met immediately.

Therefore, early in September,, representatives of United States, Britain, Australia, France, Siam, New Zealand, Pakistan and Philip pines met in Manila and quickly formed the South-East Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO) under which they agree to defend each other’s territories against any further southward or westward move by the; Communists in South-East Asia.

India and Indonesia clearly are hostile to SEATO; but France (try ing to retain Laos. Cambodia and

Southern Vietnam), Siam (cruelly exposed along more than half of its trontiers) and Pakistan came in as active supporters.

MEANWHILE, Indonesia has gone into action with a demand at United Nations headquarters in New York that she shall be given possession of Western New Guinea; and this at last has brought from Australia a clear enunciation of policy in respect to Western New Guinea and Indonesia.

Australia’s Foreign Minister, R. G.

Casey, in words of almost brutal frankness, has informed the United

News Items appear also on page 5, this issue.

Nations that Indonesia has not got a shadow of a claim—historical, political or ethnological to Western New Guinea; and that Australia will take every possible step to ensure the continued occupa tion of Western New Guinea by the Dutch.

Mr. Casey and various other commentators, during September, told the world that it is vital to the defence of the South Pacific that the Asiatic Communists be kept in Asia; that Indonesia, being politic ally unstable, could easily be over whelmed by the Communists, and thus provide the latter with a con venient land bridge between Asia and Australia; and that the need to keep Asiatic Communism out of the South Seas transcends all the theoretical considerations which may be evolved by the United Nations.

Meanwhile, the nominal “Union” between The Netherlands’ Crown and Indonesia —which became im practicable when the “Republicans” failed to carry out their undertak ing to promote a Federation —has been officially dissolved.

Mr. Attlee, the British Socialist leader, whose Prime Ministership between 1945 and 1950 came near to destroying the British Empire, has been on a goodwill mission to Moscow and Peking, and has ex changed platitudes with the Red leaders. During the same period, active fighting began between Chinese Communist forces on the coast opposite Formosa, and Chiang Kai Shek’s Nationalist forces, based on Formosa. Peking announced that Chiang Kai Shek must be rooted out of Formosa; but United States, in plain words of one syllable, stated that it will not permit the Red invasion of that great island.

To see why, one need only look at the map. Japan, Formosa, Philip pines and British Borneo, a chain of non-Communist territories fac ing the coast of South East Asia, provide a screen thousands of miles long between Red Asia and North America.

WHILE the Western Powers are wearily making their re-align ments to meet the Red thrust from Eastern Asia—which is being

sharpened and strengthened—the Chinese Communists are snarling at Formosa, the Soviet has established secretly a new base for jet aircraft on Hainan Island (uncomfortably close to Philippines and New Guinea) and the Indonesians are yelping at the United Nations. It does not seem possible that a show down can be indefinitely delayed.

RAF Marshal Sir John Slessor, ar riving in Australia on September 13, said; “SEATO has been criticised because apparently it has got no teeth. But it has good teeth —back teeth, not the teeth that show when one is smiling. The Anglo-American bomber force is those back teeth.

It is the great deterrent which I feel will prevent World War III.”

There is intense activity among the air forces of United States, Britain and Australia—they are taking up new positions in handy bases facing South East Asia, from Malaya in the south-west, right across to Japan, in the north-east.

This is about the only new activity in this delicate situation that is not being over publicised.