WASHINGTON: Amid a mighty clamour … stirred by Gen MacArthur’s welcome home many … diplomatic observers concluded that neither the US Government nor public want war with China. Soviet Russia … is still considered as “No 1 enemy Power”. Widespread opinion among diplomats was that US military and diplomatic policy will continue to give pre-dominant emphasis to Western lines of defence against a possible Soviet onslaught. What might happen at Berlin rather than at Peking still controlled thinking… .

Diplomats noted also MacArthur’s view that US strength is adequate … on both fronts and that [a] contrary view would be defeatism. Many professional diplomats concluded the US will not use Chinese Nationalist forces either in Korea or for a mainland invasion.

[Meanwhile, according to a news service,] a novel method of lowering food prices has been discovered in San Sebastian. A group of 20 men, led by two housewives, seized 10 tradespeople, tied their feet, threw them into some rowing boats; they took them half a mile out to sea and dumped them into the water. The police did not interfere. Next day the price of food went down with a bang in markets… .

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2026