Covenanter Witness Vol. 53 - Rparchives.org

competitive"Current EventsBy Prof. William H. Russell, Ph.D.PRISONERS OF PEIPINGRed China's aggressive policymakes it difficult for usto accept the Communist slogan of "peaceful coexistence."A Peiping military court has sentenced thirteen Americansto prison terms, ranging from four years to life, for espionage. Eleven of the men were members of the crew of aB-29 shot down in January, 1953, during the Korean War.There is some dispute as to whether they landed in NorthKorea orManchuria; but in either case they were in U. S.uniform and therefore could not be called spies under international law. The other two were civilian employees ofthe Army, shot down on a flight from Korea to Japan. Theyare accused of working for our Central Intelligence Agencyto supply and train anti-Red agents in China. The Reds alsoannounced that they have captured 230American andNationalist agents since 1951, and have executed 106. Mostof these were of Chinese nationality.Our government sent a strong protest, pointing out thatthe confinement of the thirteen Americans violated international law and the Korean armistice, which guaranteedthe return of all prisoners except those refusing repatriation.The Chinese returned a blunt refusal to our demand for therelease of these men, and the next move is up to us. Onepossibility short of war is a naval blockade of the Chinesecoast.FAR EASTERN STRATEGYThe Chinese Communists have also become more aggressive on the military front. They are sending largeamounts of military equipment to the Viet Minh, in directviolation of the Indochina truce. They have also madeperiodic attacks on Nationalist-held islands, and Nationalistshipping, off the China coast. One purpose of these raidsseems to be to feel out the intentions of the United States.Chiang Kai-shek has asked for a formal pledge that wewill defend not only Formosa but all the Nationalist-heldislands. President Eisenhower has not made any such promise; but the U. S. and Nationalist China seem to be nearagreement on a general treaty of mutual defense. Eisenhower seems to believe that war can be avoided and thatwe are due for a long period of what could be called "peaceful butcoexistence.The administration ismoving cautiously toward a new program of economic aidwhich will give even greater emphasis to Asia. The ForeignOperations Administration already has about sixty per centof this year's funds earmarked for South Asia and theFar East.VISHINSKY GONEThe death of Andrei Vishinsky removes a familiar figurefrom the international scene. Trained as a lawyer, he firstgained fame as Stalin's prosecuting agent in the great purgetrials of the 1930's. Since then he skillfully followed everytwist and turn in the party line. As the head of the Sovietdelegation in the U. N. General Assembly, he was notedfor his sharp sarcasm and violent attacks on the West.Personally, however, he was usually fairly agreeable. Hedied at the age of 70, of a heart attack. His place at theU. N. will be taken by Jacob Malik, who served there from1948 to 1952 and was head of the Security Council at theoutbreak of the Korean War. He has since been SovietAmbassador to London. Malik is believed to dislike theU. S. even more than Vishinsky. Soviet policy, however, isdetermined at the Kremlin rather than by her diplomatsabroad, and is not likely to change on account of Vishinsky"sdeath.PEACEFUL ATOMSPresident Eisenhower's atoms-for-peace proposals havecome closer to reality with the unanimous endorsement ofthe U.N. General Assembly. The resolution which wasadopted calls for the quick establishment of an InternationalAtomic Energy Agency to help develop the peaceful usesof atomic energy. There is also to be an international conference under U. N. auspices by August of next year, tostudy the applications of atomic energy in power, medicine,biology, agriculture, and other fields.Our government demonstrated its faith in the plan byallocating 220 pounds of fissionable material as fuel for experimental atomic reactors. Britain followed with a contribution of 44 pounds. These amounts are not enough to runa large power reactor, but will be distributed among thecooperatingmodels.nations for the operation of experimentalThe Soviets voted for the atomic plan, since it wasobviously going through with or without their consent.They are especially interested in the scientific conference,but did not succeed in getting invitations for states whoare outside the U. N., such as Red China and East Germany.The Reds have given no assurance that they will join theAtomic Energy Agency or allocate any fissionable materialto it. They want tlie Agency put under the Security Council, where it would be subject to their veto; but the Westwants it set up as an independent body like UNESCO.Due to this disagreement, the Agency's exact status remainsto be settled.SUCCESSFUL PREMIERSThe visit of Premier Mendes-France to Washington produced a marked improvement in relations between Franceand the U. S. No major decisions seem to have been made,(Continued on page 368)THE COVENANTER WITNESSIssued each Wednesday by the Publication Board of theREFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHOF NORTH AMERICAat 129 West 6th Street. Newton, Kansas orthrough its editorial office at 1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka. Kan*to promote Bible Standards of Doctrine, Worship and LifeFor individuals, churches and nationsOpinions expressed in our columns are those of the individual writer.-*;not necessarily the views of the Covenanter Church or of the Editor.Contributing EditorsFrank E. Alien, D.D.Prof. William H. RussellWalter McCarroll, D.D.Remo I. Robb, D.D.Dr. Raymond Taggart, D.D., Editor1209 Boswell Avenue, Topeka KansasDepartmental EditorsRev. John O. EdgnrMrs. J. 0. EdgarMrs. Ross LatimerSubscription rates: $2.50 per year; Overseas, S3. 110 : Single Copies10 cents.The Rev. R. B. Lyons, B.A.. Limavady. N. Ireland, Agent for theBritish Isles.Entered as second class matter at the Post Office in Newton, Kansaunder the Act of March 3, 1879.Address communications to the Topeka office.December 8, 1954 355