Dangerous Dream

For weeks, Canada's top foreign policymakers had let the impression get around that they were thinking of recognizing Communist China--if not now, then in. the near future. Three times during his recent world torr, Liberal Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent casually referred to the Red Chinese regime as "the government the people want." External Affairs Chief Lester Pearson, in speeches in Washington and Chicago, called for "a new look at the situation."

When a foreign-affairs debate opened in Parliament last week, Pearson and St. Laurent were in, a more cautious mood. Pearson, leading off with a review of foreign policy, completely skipped the subject of Red China. St. Laurent openly apologized for the "loose language" that had given the impression that he favored recognition soon. Said St.Laurent: "Under present conditions. I do not see any reason why we should consider diplomatic recognition of China."

The opposition Conservative Party was far from satisfied with the Liberals' backtracking. Tory Leader George Drew delivered one of the most forceful speeches of his career in condemning Pearson and St. Laurent for their loose talk outside the House. "When we talk of recognition for the government of China," said Drew, "let us remember that we are talking of recognizing a government whose hands are still red with the blood of young Canadians and other young men . . . who went to Korea. [In Indo-China], France ... is engaged in a deadly and terrible conflict with -armed forces . . . supported and maintained by ... Peiping.

"Could there be anything that would be more openly declared lunacy than [to recognize] a nation which at this very moment is a declared aggressor? . . . What a-pitiful hope . . . that if only we should be kind, generous and gentle to Mao Tse-tung, perhaps he will forget his association with Moscow and will embrace our free nations . . . What a mad dream! What a dangerous dream!"

For the moment, such dangerous dreaming seemed to be out of favor. Government spokesmen will probably bury the subject for a while, at least until they have a chance to see how the Red Chinese behave at the Geneva Conference.

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