World Peace - In Our Time?
Plain Truth Magazine
September 1971
Volume: Vol XXXVI, No.9
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World Peace - In Our Time?

Personal from Herbert W Armstrong

   THE BIG NEWS headlines here in Manila on Friday, July 16, announced President Nixon's forthcoming visit to Premier Chou En-lai of Red China, at Peking. The President made his announcement on the U. S. West Coast July 15, but it was already Friday over here.
   The President was quoted saying that he "will undertake what I deeply hope will become a journey for PEACE."
   President Marcos, here in Manila, said the Philippine Government welcomes "with genuine interest" Mr. Nixon's decision. Most chief delegates to the Asian and Pacific Council (ASPAC), meeting here, hope this unprecedented visit will help promote PEACE and stability in Asia and the world. A meeting has been set up between General Carlos P. Romulo and me for next Monday morning. It is important. He is the Foreign Secretary.
   Meanwhile, let me give you a glimpse into the methods by which Communist countries "work for PEACE."
   In today's Sunday Hong Kong Standard is a half-page wide picture of President Nixon being "cheered after China decision." But directly under the picture, front page, appears the following in bold black headlines: "U. S. PLANS TO ATTACK CHINA, SAYS MAO'S ARMED FORCES CHIEF."
   The story begins with: "Chinese Armed Forces Chief Huang Yung-sheng accused the United States of planning aggression against China the same day as Peking announced its invitation to President Nixon."
   Further, "Huang said the U. S. in co-operation with Japan, was attempting to turn South Korea into a military base for aggression against North Korea and China.
   "He added: 'We serve the U. S. and Japanese reactionaries this warning: You will never succeed in your schemes of aggression against the peoples of Korea, China and other Asian countries . .. . Should you dare to unleash a new war of aggression, you will certainly suffer complete annihilation.' "
   There was more, accusing the United States of "scheming" against China and peoples of Asia.
   This kind of name-calling, false-accusing, and threatening propaganda is typical of Communist methods — accusing the free world of that of which they, themselves are guilty.
   This is merely one example of how Communist governments work for PEACE — and why THERE IS NO PEACE!
   LATER, July 19:
   The meeting between the secretary for Foreign Affairs, General Carlos P. Romulo, and myself took place as scheduled this morning.
   I feel quite confident that no other editor or journalist from the Western world has had opportunity so soon after Mr. Nixon's announcement to have a personal talk with an official in charge of foreign affairs in one of the leading nations close to Red China in the Far East.
   Right now the attitude of heads of state in the Far East are important news. The President's visit to Peking will affect them more than nations in other parts of the world.

I Meet with General Romulo

   The General had been looking forward to meeting me for some time. We both attended the San Francisco Conference, 26 years ago, where the charter for the UNITED NATIONS was drawn up. We both were back in San Francisco a year ago, on the 25th anniversary of that conference. The outstanding speech given at the plenary sessions of that conference, in my opinion — and that of many others — was made by the General from the Philippines. He has been a man of considerable importance and influence in Asian and Far-Eastern affairs ever since.
   First, he gave me his own news release, then going out to newspapers. In it, he called the announcement of President Nixon's coming visit to Chou En-lai "a diplomatic breakthrough of great significance to Asia and to the world."
   Before getting down to the important subject of the coming visit to Peking, the General told us of his recent visit to Romania. (Mr. Stanley R. Rader, our General Legal Counsel, who usually accompanies me, was also present.) When I mentioned that we had been extended an invitation as guests to that country, he strongly urged that we go.
   I asked the General for his opinion of the meaning and impact on the Asian peoples of the President going to Chou — and whether, like the story of Mohammed and the mountain, it would be regarded in Asia as a loss of face unless the President insisted that Chou come to Washington.
   "No, not at all," he replied. "The whole world knows well that America is the world's number one power. I think it is of greatest importance to world peace that the strongest world power manifest humility rather than arrogance. The world has become polarized into two seemingly irreconcilable camps. This effort may provide a means of accommodation for the peoples in the two camps."
   Minister Romulo attached importance to the self-imposed restraints exercised by the United States in its great power — and the fact that America realized it has an obligation to the rest of the world and must not use its great power any way it pleases. He felt that United States power is so great that it can afford to take the first step toward cooperation.
   The Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines feels that the President's visit marks the beginning of a new age, and the passing of an old one.
   I asked the General about his present views on communism, and whether they have changed. He said he had to admit to having changed his views somewhat very gradually over the past few years. As a life-long, self-avowed anti-communist, he confessed to a partial change of thinking. That is, he no longer could agree that every communist-influenced or communist-dominated movement in every remote area of the world was inspired and influenced by Communist Russia or Communist China. It could well be a local movement engendered by local conditions, and revolving around local issues.
   He reminded us of the insurgency of many years' duration in the Philippines and his government's steady efforts to control that particular movement. He was convinced that the Huk insurgency was local in origin, not inspired from Peking or Moscow.
   I asked how he felt about the so called "Domino Theory," especially as to its relation to the Southeast Asian area.
   "I was never convinced of the validity of that theory," he replied. "I have never been convinced that as South Vietnam goes, so goes the rest of the Southeast Asia.''' The Philippines supported the United States, and actually supplied several battalions for the Vietnam front. He said that although it was proper, and perhaps necessary for the United States to protect what it considered to be its vital interests in that area, he had never felt the Domino Theory valid.
   I told the General that 1 appreciated his frank comments, even though I did not necessarily concur with all his views.
   This, however, gives our readers a first-hand report of the reaction of the head of foreign affairs of one important Asiatic nation, secured when the news was fresh and hot.

Mankind Searches for Peace

   Ever since the dawn of history, nations and their rulers have worked for PEACE — fought for PEACE — warred for PEACE.
   Why have we never yet had any WORLD PEACE?
   World War I, according to U. S. President Woodrow Wilson, was fought "to make the world safe for democracy" — the war to END all wars! There had been "the Hague Conference," and other attempts at uniting for peace. But now President Wilson, with altruistic intentions, proposed the League of Nations.
   After the armistice of November 11, 1918, the League of Nations was established at Geneva. But World War I did not END all wars.
   The word "armistice" actually means RECESS. And that is what in fact it was. The opposing forces, rejuvenated and re-armed, started the next round of world war in 1939 — when the recess became of age (21).
   At the close of this round of world war, in 1945, many heads of state met at San Francisco to form the United Nations. Once again, we had fought the war to END ALL WARS! The United Nations was going to prevent any subsequent wars.
   But more than 40 more wars have raged on since. And wars are still raging. There was a coup attempted in King Hassan's Morocco just a few weeks ago. There is, of course, the war in Vietnam, and the smoldering war situation in the Middle East.
   But in spite of 6,000 years of fruitless searching for PEACE — working for PEACE — struggling for PEACE — fighting for PEACE — world leaders continue searching, working, struggling, fighting — and maneuvering — for PEACE. World attention now has been focused on President Nixon's chances for at least "promoting peace and stability in Asia" — if not world peace.
   How are those changes being viewed?

Effects of Presidential Visit

   Will the President's visit to Peking win important concessions from Red China?
   Will it result in concessions in regard to Taiwan? In connection with South Vietnam? In relation to trade? In the area of diplomatic relations?
   Will Red China be willing to renounce its self-avowed program of engendering, supporting, and directing revolutionary movements in other parts of the world?
   Or, some are asking, will the President's visit be a second Munich? Chiang Kai-shek's chairman of the overseas Chinese commission has compared the proposed trip to the world's number one policeman visiting the world's number one bandit in his lair. Also he compared the American President's visit to mainland China to British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's visiting Adolph Hitler at Munich shortly prior to World War II. In that visit the Prime Minister returned triumphantly to England, with his umbrella, thinking he had won PEACE. Yet at Munich the peace-seeking Mr. Chamberlain had been forced to make all the concessions, indulging in all the appeasing, thinking that by them he was purchasing PEACE. The Fuehrer took all the concessions and appeasements, and then started the war anyway.
   The nationalist Chinese leader, Kao Hsin, fears damage to United States prestige as the result of this visit.
   LATER: Saigon, July 27:
   Today's Pacific Stars and Stripes, U. S. service men's daily newspaper, reports that Peking is in no mood to alter its hard line against the United States, even though its Premier has invited President Nixon to visit him. Its "hate U. S." stance remains, and Mr. Nixon is still referred to as "the chieftain of U. S. imperialism" in official Chinese reports.
   The report states further that in the last three days — it is now ten days since Mr. Nixon announced the forthcoming visit — Peking has leveled two major attacks against what it terms "U. S. imperialism."
   The F.B.I. Chief, J. Edgar Hoover, is reported to have said that Peking considers the United States "its chief enemy." The statement was reported to have been made to a closed Senate hearing three weeks prior to Mr. Nixon's announcement of the intended visit.
   Of course the President is aware of these things. He hopes his visit will be a step toward normalization of relations. But if one knows the Communist mind, Communist objectives and tactics, he will realize that such hopes have little chance. Communist leaders view such efforts toward peace as a sign of weakness, to be taken every advantage of. They respect one thing only — SUPERIOR FORCE!

Red China's Demands

   Still later, July 28, HONG KONG:
   The price Communist China is going to demand of the United States for establishment of full diplomatic relations was announced here today. Of course I knew there would be a price. Premier Chou En-lai will expect to GET everything, give nothing. That is the Communist way. They deal from a position of strength only. They recognize nothing but superior FORCE!
   This price, it is now made public here in Hong Kong, was outlined by Premier Chou July 19. It is like the price a victorious military commander would impose on his defeated foe. Of course it means a seat in the United Nations. But much more!
   Chou demands that the United States double-cross its ally, Nationalist China, being unfaithful to its solemn commitments. He says the U. S. must renege on the defense treaty it made with Chiang Kai-shek in 1954.

Unconditional Surrender?

   But MORE! The United States, like a nation making unconditional surrender in war, must remove all its military installations in and around Taiwan, leaving her ally, FREE China, helpless, to be taken over by Red China.
   Red China has more than once threatened a takeover of Taiwan by force, but each time U. S. Naval Power has deterred the communists. If Mr. Nixon should bow to these arrogant demands, the United States would totally lose face before the world! It would be the END of United States' world prestige! Already it seems the U. S. has lost all pride in its great power.
   Other demands of Chou En-Iai:
   The Indochina question (Vietnam) must be solved (Chou's way) first.
   The U. S. must recognize that the "government of the People's Republic of China" is the ONLY legitimate government representing the Chinese people. And he included the people of Nationalist China in this. Taiwan must be recognized as a province of Red China.
   He resolutely opposes any "two China" or any "one China, one Taiwan" idea. Nationalist China, therefore, must be put out of the United Nations.
   Chou En-lai said that this is China's stand — "and it shall not change!"
   On July 20, Mr. Nixon sent assurances to Chiang Kai-shek the U. S. will stand by its commitments.
   Perhaps this will give the reader some idea of the problem President Nixon must face in attempting to "make peace" in any degree with either Mao Tse-tung or Chou En-lai.
   Of course Mr. Nixon gained considerable prestige for standing up to Khrushchev in Moscow, and getting the best of him in an argument — before he was President. Will he be able to gain concessions and avoid appeasement in Peking? Of course he will see not only Chou but also Mao, although most of the conversation probably will be with Chou.
   Well, here we go again in this fast-accelerating turbulent world, the American President plans to visit Red China on a PEACE mission.
   For 6,000 years kings, emperors, presidents, governments, have been fighting for PEACE. They are still trying.
   But there is NO PEACE.
   WHY?
   WHY have all the efforts of governments and rulers for 6,000 years been fruitless?

Cause for Every Effect

   I repeat again and again — there is of necessity a CAUSE for every effect. Everything is a matter of CAUSE and EFFECT!
   But humanity seems always to ignore the CAUSE and try to deal with the EFFECT.
   I repeat again — there are the broad overall TWO WAYS of life : GET, and GIVE ! They travel in opposite directions. The world's governments, as well as its industry, commerce, business, sports, society, have all been based on the way of "GET" — of greed, lust, selfishness, competition, jealousy, envy, unconcern for others — rejection of God and of revelation.
   And that is the CAUSE of war, strife, violence, chaos!
   We have fought wars to END all wars. They didn't — and won't!
   The PLAIN TRUTH, Ambassador College, and associated enterprises are WORKING FOR WORLD PEACE!
   But not by strife, by fighting, by political or military means. We work for WORLD PEACE, through right EDUCATION — by teaching THE WAY to PEACE! We can't enforce THAT WAY on the world — or even on our readers, listeners or viewers. The use of FORCE is not our commission.
   But we now are fast approaching the day when, if the world will NOT heed this activity of love and peace, all humans will be staking their lives on WHETHER there exists the LIVING GOD of supreme supernatural POWER to TAKE OVER, and by irresistible FORCE compel the world to turn to the way of "love" — of outgoing concern for the welfare of others — of cooperation, service, helping, sharing. The WAY that causes happiness, joy, prosperity and PEACE!

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Plain Truth MagazineSeptember 1971Vol XXXVI, No.9