Students Protest Far East Policy at Adams Meeting

Harvard and Radcliffe students picked the Adams House Dining Hall last night to protest the Eisenhower administration's policies in the Far East.

Richard E. Rubinstein '59, chairman of the meeting, termed it a protest not only against the Dulles policies, but against "the veil of silence the administration has thrown over the Far Eastern picture." He introduced John K. Fairbank '29, professor of History and associate director of the Center for East Asian Studies; Edwin O. Reischauer, professor of Far Eastern Languages and director of the Center; and Rupert Emerson '22, professor of Government.

Fairbank struck at "the American desire to reject reality," asking for recognition of Red China, combined with maintenance of an independent Taiwan.

Self-determination for the people of Taiwan should be followed by "a gentle indication that we don't think Chiang Kai-shek is ruler of the island any longer," Fairbank advised.

Reischauer expressed full agreement with the administration on the necessity of defense of Taiwan, but declared that the defense of Quemoy is not sound "militarily or politically."

Chiang's declarations that he will continue the civil war, and win it, are "fantasy," and protestations that the loss of Quemoy will lead to the loss of Taiwan are "a bluff," Reischauer said. He advocated a "deal" whereby Communist cession of Taiwan would be exchanged for U.S. recognition of the Red regime.

Emerson picked up the "veil of silence" theme, and criticized Nixon's statements regarding State Department release of unfavorable mail figures, as "a return to McCarthyism."

"We had no business being in the island originally, and we have no business being there now," Emerson added. "If you find that through accumulated errors you are endangering the peace of the world, it's not wrong to withdraw, even in the face of force."