THE ISSUE.- NOT QUEMOY BUT AGGRESSION

Excerpts from the President's speech:

THE world is again faced with the problem of armed aggression. Powerful dictatorships are attacking an exposed but free area . . .

It is as certain as can be that the shooting which the Chinese Communists started on August 23 had as its purpose not just the taking of the island of Quemoy. It is part of what is indeed an ambitious plan of armed conquest.

This plan would liquidate all of the free-world positions in the western Pacific area and bring them under captive governments which would be hostile to the U.S. and to the free world. Thus the Chinese and Russian Communists would come to dominate at least the western half of the now friendly Pacific Ocean . . .

The U.S. cannot accept the result that the Communists seek. Neither can we show, now, a weakness of purpose--a timidity--which would surely lead them to move more aggressively against us and our friends in the western Pacific area.

If the Chinese Communists have decided to risk a war, it is not because Quemoy itself is so valuable to them. They have been getting along without Quemoy ever since they seized the China mainland nine years ago.

If they have now decided to risk a war, it can only be because they, and their Soviet allies, have decided to find out whether threatening war is a policy from which they can make big gains.

If that is their decision, then a western Pacific Munich would not buy us peace or security. It would encourage the aggressors. It would dismay our friends and allies there. If history teaches anything, appeasement would make it more likely that we should have to fight a major war.

Some misguided persons have said that Quemoy is nothing to become excited about. They said the same about South Korea, about Viet Nam, about Lebanon.

I assure you that no American boy would ever be asked by me to fight just for Quemoy. But those who make up our armed forces--and I believe the American people as a whole--do stand ready to defend the principle that armed force shall not be used for aggressive purposes.

Upon observance of that principle depends a lasting and just peace. It is that same principle that protects the western Pacific free-world positions as well as the security of our homeland. If we are not ready to defend this principle, then indeed tragedy after tragedy would befall us.

The present situation, though serious, is by no means desperate or hopeless. There is not going to be any appeasement. I believe there is not going to be any war.

But there must be sober realization by the American people that our legitimate purposes are again being tested by those who threaten peace and freedom everywhere.

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