Evening star., 1950-10-26
Attempt 10 Diseredit
President Of Korea
Being Made Here
Propaganda Likened
To Drive 5 Years Ago
Against Chang i-Shek
By David Laurence

Against Chang Kui-Shek
By David Laurence
There's an insidious propaganda
at work here to attempt to dis
credit Syngman Rhee, president
of the Republic of Korea. On the
surface, it resembles the propa-
ganda which started five years
ago against Chang Kai-shek and
ultimately resulted in the en-
forced collapse Of the Nationalist
regime in China.
One high American official who
is we'll aware that the propaganda
exists and resents it said today:
"Is the United States going to
get the reputation in Asia of help
ing a government to fight victori-
ously against its external enemies
only to drop it like poison there
after?"
American aid, military and eco
nomic, went to Chang Kai-Shek
when he was helping to keep at
bay the Japanese armies on the
continent of Asia. But as soon as
Japan surrendered in 1945. the
effort to break down the Ma
tionalist government began. From
this the Communists derived great
satisfaction. Indeed, it is not yet
established how much Communist
influence did infiltrate Washing
ton and produce this weakening
of American support for Chang
Kai-Shek.
Formally Recognized.
Today President Rhee stands as
the constitutionally elected execu-
tive of this republic. His govern
ment has been formally recog-
nized by the United States and by
the United Nations as the legiti-
mately established government Of
Korea. It has, moreover. been as
serted officially by the United
States that the 38th Parallel was
not a boundary Of the republic
and that the U. N. recognized the
entire area of Korea as within the
jurisdiction of the government of
Korea.
But now skeptics are spreading
the word that DR.. Rhee is recog-
nized only for South Korea, thus
endeavoring to perpetuate the
very fiction that the Soviets
sought to implant with their cry
that the outbreak in Korea was
just "civil war" Under the con-
stitution of Korea, DR.. Rhee's
term doesn't expire until 1852. He
is president of all Korea by vir-
tue of an election that the U. N.
approved. He is not just presi-
dent of the southern area. His
troops are in the north exercis-
ing military control over the
northern region.
It is true that U. N. forces are
assisting the South Korean army
but this in no wise subtracts from
the sovereignty of the Korean
Republic. 1t is natural for the
U. n, which supervised the first
elections, to see to it that sup
Elementary elections are held in
certain districts so that the peo-
pie in North Korea who have been
coerced by the Communists now
can choose freely the men they
want to represent them in the
Korean national legislative body.
Strange Effort of Foes.
But this program of electing
members to vacancies in the Ko-
rean congress has nothing to do
with the legitimacy of the pres
ent Korean government despite
the strange efforts Of opponents
of DR.. Rhee in America to try
to give the impression that new
election must be ordered.
The innuendoes refer to DR..
Rhee as "reactionary' and as op-
posed to "agrarian reforms"-the
very same words that, curiously
enough, cropped up so frequently
when the State Department was
being slowly but surely persuaded
to abandon Chang Kai-shek a
few years ago.
The State Department has man
aged to prove to many fair-mind-
ed people that whatever mistakes
1t made in handling Chang Kai-
shek were conscientiously made
and without Communist inspira-
ton, directly or indirectly. If
DR.. Rhee, however, now meets
the same fate at the hands Of
the State Department that Chang
Kai-shek did, the charges will
certainly be renewed. If, despite
the sacrifices made by American
troops to fight Communist aggres-
sion in Korea, the Communists
nevertheless win their point in
weakening DR.. Rhee and getting
help in that effort from various
persons inside the American Gov
ernment, it will be a sad day for
American diplomacy. DR.. Rhee
needs staunch and unequivocal
support. His prestige in his own
country is at stake as word reaches
there that certain U. N. members
and perhaps the State Depart
ment are cool in their attitude.
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