Evening star., 1947-09-07
By Roy Roberts
Associated Press STAFF Correspondent


Associated Press Stan Correspondent
SEOUL, Korea, Sept. 6-Division
and deadlock are the double dragons
ancient Korea.
They approach a crisis on Monday
but after two troubled years there is
no prospect that either can soon be
exercised.
Founding offspring Of Japan's de-
feat, this country-the size Of Min
nesota-came on VI Day under
direct guardianship Of the United
States and Russia. The Russians
occupied the industrial north; the
Americans the agricultural south.
Today the military forces Of the
two great powers confront each
other across an artificial frontier
as they do nowhere else in Asia.
To step across 1t is to risk instant
detention.
The areas are almost equal, but
in population the United States
zones estimated 81 900, 900 is nearly
three times that of the Russian.
The powers have failed in their
increasingly acrimonious attempts to
fulfill promises to reunite the coun-
try and establish 1t as an independ-
ent state.
Conference in Washington.
The United States has called a
four power conference in Washing
ton for Monday to try to decide
what to do next. China and Britain
have accepted: Russia has not re-
piled.
On the response may depend
whether Korea can be unified in
the foreseeable future.
The Koreans, with no say in the
matter, quarrel constantly among
themselves, with bullets, bamboo
spears, rice-paddy hoes, rocks and
fists. =
They grow steadily more tmpa-
tient to try the independence which
was promised them at the Cairo
conference in 1943 and the demo-
cratic government which was prom
ised at Moscow in 1s45.
Confronted with a choice of two
types of government, both called
democracy, they cannot choose be-
cause the two great powers are
stalled on how to find formula for
the choosing.
Ruled for some 1900 years by
feudal chiefs and kings, and then
for 40 years as a colony of Japan,
Korea was tightly geared to Japan.
When the Japanese were thrown
out the economy fell dead for lack
OF skilled workers and technicians.
The occupation line on the 3Sth
parallel of north latitude blocks
even the historic exchange Of South
Korean food for North Korean
manufactures.
Plans for Separate Economy.
If America and Russia cannot
agree on erasing this division-and
there is no indication that they can
the Americans may go it alone
with the southern zone. They al
ready have a prepared program for
that possibility.
The United States already has
given South Korea more than $780,
100000 worth of food, fertilizer,
clothing, railroad locomotives, boats,
medicines and hundreds of other
items.
These have proved enough to keep
the American zone breathing, but
not enough to enable it to walk
under its own power.
The United States, War and State
Departments, however, have in their
files plans to build separate econ
omy for South Korea.
This program, aiming at COM
plete self-support within three years
was ready for consideration by Con-
gress last spring, right behind the
Greek-Turkish aid act.
It was shelved when the Russians
agreed to resume talks.
Aid Program Ready.
Now the negotiations have col
lapsed second time. If the four
power conference idea also should
fail, the aid program could be busted
off quickly. 1t contemplates expendi-
ture of about $40, 100000 over three
years to supply South Korea with
revitalizing quantities of food, fer
tilizer, seedlings for reforestation
machine tools, raw materials fol
light industries, complete electric
power plants, steel, cotton, coal
communications and education sup
plies and business and technica
advisers.
A toddling South Korean gov
eminent. which the Americana
started mainly to give Koreans some
practice, would begin to function
in earnest.
The American military govern
ment has been gradually giving way
to this South Korean interim gov
ernment - generally called by it
initials, "SKIG."
Koreans now handle about 80 pc
cent of the actual work. The Amer
leans step in and give directions
only when they see trouble ahead
There is an interim legislature
half elected and half appointed b!
the American commandant, 1t. Gen
John r. Hodge.
The legislature has just com
pleted a universal election law.
A judiciary system of Korean
has entirely replaced the American
provost courts, and a police fore
of Koreans is responsible for pre-
serving order.
Harassing Campaign Cited.
All this is strictly in South Korea
What goes on in the Russian spher
is the subject only of rumor ant
hearsay, although American officer
estimate significantly that at leas
100000 North Koreans have move'
into the American zone in con
tinuing migration. Some say the
left home to escape high taxes,