Findley Becomes First Republican in Congress Urging Ties with China

Rep. Paul Findley (R-III.) last night became the first Republican Congressman to advocate United States recognition of Red China.

Speaking to the H.R Young Republicans, Findley, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, declared that "our present policy toward China has become blind and unrealistic -- in fact, ostrich-like" and urged better communication with the Chinese.

Findley -- representative from Abraham Lincoln's 20th District -- proposed an exchange of diplomatic, cultural, journalistic and tourist missions between "the two giant nations of Occident and Orient." But he asked for continued checks on Chinese "military or subversive threats and pressure."

"By whatever yardstick one uses, the American policy of isolating China has not worked," he said. "Communist control has continued. China has not remained isolated from the rest of the world." Now, Findley added, the war in Vietnam moves daily toward inviting a direct confrontation between the two nuclear powers.

To lessen tension, Findley said that both countries should strive for the increased political, cultural and economic information which a "U-2 plane flying at 40,000 ft. cannot get."

Findley tied the question of Chinese recognition into the Republican Party's "new era of positivism." He said he could think of no more important problem demanding the party's attention than that of China.

This morning, Findley will meet for breakfast with John K. Fairbank '29, Director of the East Asian Research Center.