Evening star., 1947-08-16
Fears Gain in Korea
That Reds May Start
Major Revolution
By Lee Hills
Foreign Correspondent Of Tbs Stor and
L.

the Chicago Daily News
SEOUL, Korea, Aug. 16.-Fears OF
a full-scale, Communist-inspired
revolution are being expressed in
this "hot spot of the Orient"
A copy of master plan" for
succession of steps leading to seizure
of the country by force is said to
have fallen into the hands of the
American occupation authorities.
Riots, assassinations and other vio-
lence which have racked this
troubled land are said to fit into the
plan.
United States leaders in this oc-
cupied capital do not hide their con-
Germ. They say the situation is
Serious" but they make no predic-
tions.
Nation Split in Two.
The worlds 18th largest nation
is divided at the 38th parallel by an
iron curtain which is much easier
to see through than the one in
Europe.
The Russians have their zone to
the north, with 100000 Koreans,
sealed of and subjugated as a
satellite nation. The country's
economy is disrupted. There is no
movement Of needed goods between
north ana .soefsh 81 IL takes American
relief shipments Of 100000, 900 a
year in food, medicine and fertilizer
to keep the s5l lol59o o9o people of sts South gs
Korea fgainslf4a1 f1'ssGb s7sb ~ sel I is 1st1oq
"A high American officer recently
went into the Russian zone on Of
fetal business.
1--WE stopped Korean to ask di-
rections." he related. when he
started to get into the car to show
us, a policeman arrested him and
took him away, despite my protests
3 Women Arrested.
"We passed three women on the
street. I don't think they even
smiled or spoke to us. But police
man marched them off down an
alley.
Finally, at another stop, police
man forced my Korean interpreter
out of the car. Over my emphatic
protests, he was insisting on taking
him to Jail until found Russian
officer and got him to stop it
There is no doubt about the absolute
police-state control of North Korea.
One of the Russians first steps
here, as in some Balkan countries
was to train and equip a large
North Korean Army. Latest esti-
mate is 100000 trained troops, with
reports this may be increased to
100000.
There are widespread reports
and charges by Chinese Nationalists
that these troops are being given
combat training with the Commu-
nists armies fighting in Manchuria.
One report from a reliable source
said $4,000 are now so engaged.
Aggression Doubted.
One high authority said 1t is not
likely that this army would openly
participate in a revolution while
American and Russian armies still
officially occupy Korea. That would
amount to open Russian aggres-
sion," he explained.
So the Communists are concen-
trating on propaganda their huge
fifth column and steady infiltration.
This centers around the deadlock In
the joint commission planning
Korea's freedom 1t Is spearheaded
by active political front organiza-
tions.
1t. Gen. John r. Hodge, Ameri-
can commander in Korea, Is count
ering with "a a radio and news
paper campaign debunking Com
munist propaganda and explaining
American efforts to insure indie
pence. % an interim government
in South Korea along democratic
lines, and 90 granting individual
freedom and teaching democratic
methods that contrast to the police
methods Of the Soviet zone.
The apricot is a native of China