THE NATION: The Misfire

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This week, the White House and leaders on Capitol Hill were moving to repair some of the damage done by the ceasefire talk. President Eisenhower sent to Congress a special message asking for a resolution to "clearly and publicly establish the authority of the President to use U.S. forces for the defense of Formosa and the Pescadores," and to show a wholehearted U.S. determination to that end. Commenting that this authority would cover "closely related localities," he singled out for special mention the island of Quemoy, only five miles off the Chinese mainland, which Chiang Kai-shek considers vital to the defense of Formosa. The message carefully avoided any reference to future use of the Chiang-held territory to liberate the mainland, and just as carefully said that the situation was too critical to await appropriate action by the United Nations.

While the political leaders thus hurried to regain the psychological ground the U.S. had lost in Asia, Admirals Pride and Kivette, their shore leave cut short, were back out to sea. What Washington still had to make clear was what the admirals were supposed to do next.