893.001 Chiang Kai-shek/7–1249: Telegram
The Ambassador in Korea (Muccio) to the Secretary of State
860. President Rhee issued following statement today through Korean PIO1 on subject Quirino-Chiang conversations at Baguio:
A good start toward organizing the Pacific peoples in their fight against Communism has been made by President Elpidio Quirino of the Philippine Republic and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of China. As I have made plain on several occasions, the Republic of Korea stands ready to join in this movement. Although I have not received an official report on the Baguio conference, press reports telling of the common understandings reached by the two leaders in their discussions are highly encouraging. They see, as we see and as all free nations of the world must see, that the common enemy is Communism. [Page 1153] The way to stop a forest fire is to fight it. We are all in the forest; everyone must join the fight or get burnt in this world-threatening conflagration. I sincerely hope that the Generalissimo or President Quirino or both can pay us a visit at this time and let us know how we Koreans can best aid our mutual fight against Red terror and totalitarianism.
Sent Department, repeated Manila 21.
- Public Information Office.↩