IMPERIALISTS RECALL SUEZ
The attitude of the U.S. government toward Panama has been the subject of ironic remarks in French imperialist circles who recall the way their adventure with the British and Israeli governments in Suez in 1956 was reproved by Washington, Here is Robert Escarpitts comment on the front page of the Paris deily Le Monde [January 12-13]:
"Tt would without doubt be in the worst taste to point to Suez in relation to Panama, and it would certainly be taken in the United States as proof of Castroism or, at the very least, an antidemocratic spirit,
"Moreover the two affairs have nothing in common. In Suez it was a. question of colonialism. Two old nations of prey, weak and badly armed, had the audacity to oppose the expansion of the young Arab nationalism, all the more respectable because it held a good part of the world's oil, In Panama, on the contrary, a great liberal and democratic power is efficiently protecting a small country against the , temptations born of poverty... This is so much in the order of things that there is no need to even pay attention to it,
"“Tenorant Panamanians who want to quench their thirst in the briny waters of the Canal! They're due for trouble, the innocents"
FRANCE TELLS U.S., "WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE Ci TINA"
A big leak in the pipe lines between Paris and Washington gave virtually official standing to what has been intimated by developments for some months -- de Gaulle intends to grant recognition in the immediate future to the Péople's Republic of (China. [See World Outlook January 10 and 17.]
In accordance with protocol, the French government sent official notice to the State Department through normal channels on January 15. Within two days inquiries from the press in both Washington and Paris brought an admission from “authoritative sources" in both capitals that the report was accurate, In Washington, however, the White House wriggled miserably over the news, First a statement was issued denying © thet the U.S. government had been officially informed of the French intention, An hour later Assistant Press Secretary Andrew Hatcher rectified this statement by saying that the government "has received no official notification that France has recognized Communist China,"
French recognition of China can have big repercussions. Canadian Prime Minister Lester B, Pearson, visiting de Gaulle in Paris, said January 17 that his government has already given China a "form or. recog= nition" through extensive trade relations and that a "great deal of con= sideration" was being given to extending these relations, This was a cautious wey of intimating that full recognition of Chine may be forth= coming from Canada. Tunisia recognized China on January 1o. [See World Outlook January 17,] The pressure in Japan for recognition will
now undoubtedly increase in intensity. And many countries in Africa, where Premier Chou En-lai is now on tour mey likewise extend early recognition.
It is thus possible that the majority in the United Nations, which the United States has successfully prevented up to now from recognizing China, may be reversed before long. This would constitute a major setback for U.S. foreign policy. ane
Revolutionary~minded workers everywhere and oppressed peoples seeking freedom will hail the recognition of China by the French govern= ment. It is fresh evidence that the mighty revolution which toppled the rotted Chiang regime has had an irreversible effect on the world's power Structures .
The sooner this is understood the better. It is high time that Washington reconsidered its ostrich=like policy and admitted. like France thet after all six to seven hundred million Chinese people do exist,
MEMO. ON CHINA FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT -
The following "Chinese Memorandum. by André Frossard appeared on the front page of the conservative Paris daily Le Figaro [ January 13]: C Q. -+ Why is the State Department opposed to the recognition of nina?
A. -- Because China is Communist. To recognize it would favor its aims of general subversion,. - Q. -- Why is China Communist?
A. -~ Because the State De artment let it be conquered fifteen © years ago by the armies of Mao Tse-tung.
Q. -- For what reasons? | .
A. =-- To create insurmountable difficulties for international Conmunism by in icting it with charge o OO million Chinese, 1 Qe = The Communization of