Assess Them For Yourself!

Editorial . . .

Here Are Recent Events:

HE signs point to an increasing danger, from the Asiatic Com munist bloc, to our South Pacific jurity; but the average South cific resident can be pardoned if merely curses the warning.

U 1 over the world, there is Red ive and Western counter-move; Jless battalions of radio and jvspaper commentators shrieking jut the dreadful character of the

ngs that are happening—and

:h giving a different explanation what each event means: and no ;horitative attempt anywhere to >lain the general significance o* all, although each development ms to be some part of a world tern. ’he picture is very ugly—although more threatening than it was months ago—but we shall not I to the natural confusion of our ders by any lengthy commentary, tead, we present hereunder the standing events of the last eight ten weeks and leave our readers make their own deductions. We rely add that these all are parts the Cold War; and that, in re on to the whole, they all affect future here in the South Pacific.

Announcement that the Moscow ig had sacked Malenkov and de Bulganin Premier, with isschev leading the band, aroused nour among ten thousand stern commentators, with each imentator giving a different in- Dretation! The only point on ich they all agree is that the scow upset shows that something rery wrong in the Soviet State — tost certainly a clash of jealous lers, and unsatisfactory economic ditions.

Krusschev, who now has the ier of an uncrowned dictator, is wedictable and therefore danger —he could precipitate outright • at any time.

France again is suffering acute tical disunity. The Reds now are ng to sabotage the Paris Agree its (passed by the Chamber of luties before Mendes France went ) in the Senate. But, from the itary and defence viewpoint, ited States and Britain now re el France as a write-off.

The Anglo-American Powers in isingly depend upon West Ger ny in their defence plans. But mauer, eager to get West Ger ny in line with the West, is sting increasing difficulties be se the Reds —fearing above all ! the re-arming of Germany—are

intriguing desperately against Adenauer throughout the West. • A growing note of confidence in Anglo-American Cold-War an nouncements in recent months is due to the introduction into their defence organisation of a new and highly secret apparatus, which can “kill” directed missiles in flight.

Also, it now is believed that America (with Britain catching up) has great superiority over Iron-C urt a i n countries in weapons based on nuclear fission. • Red propaganda makes extra ordinary mountains out of the Formosa molehill. The situation there is quite simply explained.

Formosa is a vital link in the islands chain (Japan, Formosa, Philippines, Western New Guinea, Australia) which parallels E. Asia coast, and which American strateg ists and have selected as first line of defence for North America and the South Pacific against the enormous, growing power of the Muscovite- Mongolian Reds in Asia. Communist occupation of Formosa would break that plan of defence; so US will hold it, at all costs. • The truce in Korea, the re arrangement of Indo-China’s pol itical boundaries under the Geneva Agreement, the independence of Siam, the British military domina tion in Malaya—all are being under mined and challenged by hordes of Red emissaries, and menaced by the outwards thrust of Red armies directed and supplied from Red China. This will continue until stopped by military force. • Increasing politico - economic confusion in Indonesia (especially Java) is permitting more Com munist penetration of the Indonesia governmental organisation. Among Indonesia’s 78 millions, there are 3 million Chinese, in close and con stant contact with Red China.

Soekano’s Government actually is kept in office by the Indonesian Communist Party, which now has 160,000 acknowledged members.

There recently have been risings against the Indonesians in the Moluccas and Sumatra. • Australia now recognises the urgency of maintaining Dutch rule in Western New Guinea, as a barrier between Australia and In donesia-South East Asia (which is increasingly in danger of collapsing under the Red Flood). Prime Min ister Menzies has been at The Hague in consultation with the Netherlands Government. No official pronouncement—but it can be taken

as certain that Australia and Holland will take joint action—to gether, or in co-operation with SEATO and United States—in establishing in Dutch and Aus tralian New Guinea the strongest possible barrier to protect Australia and the South Pacific Islands against Red Asia.

TO SUMMARISE; The danger probably is greater, because of the irresponsible, ruthless character of the new men in charge of Russia.

But our security also is greater, be cause of increasing Anglo-American co-operation, and because of our command over new and secret weapons, which could counter most of the advantages the Reds may have in their atom bombs. But nothing alters the fact that if both sides begin using atom bombs, humanity is doomed.