Evening star., 1948-02-15

between the Big Three provided
that Korea would be divided into
two zones Immediately after her
liberation. The northern portion
was occupied by Russian troops.
while the southern was taken over
by the Americans. This occupation
was to be temporary, and only until
such time as free and unfettered
elections could be held, giving the
Koreans their; own government.
Immediately after the Soviet
Army entered Korea it placed a.
solid iron curtain between north
and south. ..~..
A secret police force, composed !
of Russians and Koreans trained
for many years in Siberia, was or
ganized. A Korean Army composed
of men who had sought refuge from
Japan and had been trained by
the Red Army in the maritime
provinces was organized under Rus
sian commanders.
The Koreans in the south-sup-
ported by the United States-began
lclamoring for an election, as, they
had been promised. They did not
want to have their country chopped
up into two parts and were anxious
to reunite the north and! south
under native government.
At the United Nations, where the
Korean claims were considered, 1t
was decided that an international
commission should be sent inme-
diately to investigate conditions on
the spot and to supervise an election
throughout the country.
Russia Sulked at Ruling
Russia opposed the plan, and
suggested that before an election
took place American and Soviet
armies of occupation should be
withdrawn. The Russian suggestion
seemed logical, except that it meant
that South as well as North Korea
would be dominated by the Russians.
While in the American zone we
had trained a police force armed
only with pistols and light machine
guns-for the sole purpose of MAIN
tanning law and order-in the north
the Russians had organized a strong
force armed with artillery and tanks
and trained by Red officers.
The withdrawal OF both occupa-
ton forces, II was obvious to us.
would mean that the north would
invade the south and impose Rus
sia's will through another satellite
armed force. BY no stretch of the
imagination could the southern
police force match the Northern
Korean Army.
Russia sulked at the decision of |
the United Nations and refused tol
participate in the commission sent
ito Korea. This group was en-
powered, under the mandate of the
U. NJ, to 60 everywhere in Northern
and Southern Korea
The commission arrived at Seoul, !
headquarters of the American occu-
patton forces in the south. Agents
from the north had preceded the
commissions arrival and demonstra-
tions were trumped up. These led to
major disturbances, which had to be
put down by the American military
police.
When the U. N. commission at
tempted to cross the border to in
vestigate popular feeling" in North
ern Korea, it was peremptorily
halted by the Russian Army COM
mander, who refused admission
without any further explanation.
Once more the U. N. had taken
kick from the Soviet government.
West Saved Face
+ To imagine that this organization,
in which we have placed all our
hopes for peace, can function ef-
flciently henceforth under such con-
ditions is to refuse to recognize al
tragic-but administration
For the sake of accepting the
theory of the U. N. Prime Minister
Stain received handsome payment
in allotment of territories to Rus
sia. But all those who attended the
Yalta Conference, where Mr.. Stain
agreed to participate in the world
peace organization, admit now that
he never believed in this new demo-.
cratic idea.
Mr.. Stain had suggested to Pres
ident Roosevelt and Prime Minister |
Churchill that the world be divided !
into three zones of influence, with !
Russia retaining the lions share.
When the American and British
leaders refused to consider such !
barefaced villainy and offered the,
Soviet dictator important advan-
tages in Manchuria and control of |
Eastern Europe, he agreed to have
Russia represented at San Fran
cisco.
The face of the western peace
makers thus was. saved. They
also hoped-for reasons which thel
ordinary citizen in this country
cannot yet understand-that once
Russias thirst for territorial ex-t
pansion was satisfied she would be
willing to work for a. stabilized
peace and would become a useful |
member Of the new society of peace.
loving nations.
How Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Churchill could have believed in |
this, after the experience of Prime !
Minister Chamberlain and Premier |
Daladier with Hitler, is. difficult to |
understand. But subsequent de-
velopments since 1916 prove that
Russia never intended to keep the
U. N. alive, unless it could become a
useful tool for her schemes ofsag-