Editorial Note

At his news conference on November 16, President Truman delivered a prepared statement on the situation in Korea; see Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States; Harry S. Truman, 1950, page 711. Mr. Truman endorsed the six-power draft resolution before the United Nations Security Council and asserted that the United Nations had no intention of carrying hostilities across the North Korean-Chinese frontier. He went on to say that the United States “never at any time entertained any intention to carry hostilities into China. So far as the United States is concerned,” he continued, “I wish to state unequivocally that because of our deep devotion to the cause of world peace and our long-standing friendship for the people of China we will take every honorable step to prevent any extension of the hostilities in the Far East. If the Chinese Communist authorities or people believe otherwise, it can only be because they are being deceived by those whose advantage it is to prolong and extend hostilities in the Far East against the interests of all Far Eastern people.”