FLASHPOINT IN KOREA
various islands, would provide quite a plausible collection of .. provocations." Nor is this the moment to rule out the possibility
of Chinese intervention on the side of the North Koreans or by diversionary operations elsewhere. It is true that there are various reasons for suspecting that the liaison between Russian and Chinese Communists is less than perfect, but it is hardly likely to be so imperfect as to permit the United Nations to snatch positive advantages from the military situation in Korea. It is always best to prepare for the worst, where Communists are concerned.
The crisis may pass, but that will not obviate the need for pre- parations to meet it. The quick decisions made by President Truman, by the Security Council and by the British and other Governments in June may have to be followed by others equally grave in the first days of September. It is very doubtful whether the Soviet Government could afford to accept another bout of effective activity by the Security Council, coiled as it will be for such activity after the month wasted in procedural nonsense under the direction of Mr. Malik. If the situation a month ago was sufficiently serious to cause them to swallow their pride and re-enter the Security Council then it is presumably sufficiently serious now to drive them to some further delaying device. And the remaining devices are liable to be more dan3erous than the exercise of debating ahilitY at Lake Success. J .
