Evening star., 1950-07-14
Optimism Over Korea
Rising but Beginning
OF New War Is Seen
Scared Congress Plans
For Any Contingency
Thot May Arise
By David Laurence


An underlying optimism is de-
veloping about Korea, but con-
currently there is a pessimism
about the prospect that history
may be witnessing the true be-
ginning of World War III.
Even If the tide does turn in
Korea in the next few days or
weeks, the Congress and the exec
utive branch of the Government
have had a real scare.
The preparation now is for any
contingency that may arise.
Congress is ready to vote what
ever funds may be necessary.
President Truman has ordered
the National Security Council to
meet once a week instead of fort
nightly. He has told the Joint
Chiefs of Staff that they may
come directly to him individually
or in a group whenever they wish,
without going through interme-
diate civilian agencies.
Has Sound Horse Sense.
Plainly Mr.. Truman is taking
over as Commander in Chief,
which is as it should sbe. What
ever criticisms there may be of
Mr.. Truman's political slant on
public policies, the fact is that
where the Nations safety is con-
cerned and where the facts are
made directly available to him, on
national defense his Judgment,
based on horse sense rather than
technical knowledge, is likely to
be sound. Where differences Of
opinion develop, he is most likely
to be fair If he has access to all
sides.
The job of preparing for large
scale war and at the same time
avoiding any step that could be
regarded as provocative by the
free nations of the world is a
delicate and difficult one. Advice
is coming in from all sides to the
President. including advice from
party leaders and party opponents
in Congress.
Obviously the Korean outbreak
has already had a salutary effect.
It has revealed that a conven-
tional form of defense has to be
built and that puSh-button war
fare, with all its gadgets, is not
% Immediately needed as tanks
and infantrymen, cruisers and
destroyers and aircraft carriers
and perhaps even battleships with
their big guns to lombard coast
lines, to say nothing of more of
the old-type bombers and fighter
planes.
But just as it was a mistake
to make plans to rely solely on
strategic bombing, so would it be a
grave error to swing now to the
other extreme and discount the
power Of strategic bombing. When
the full story of Korea becomes
available, 1t will be found that
the bombers did plenty Of damage
to communications and supply de-
pots in the north. It will be-
learned that the flyers in the
medium and heavy bombers risked
their lives to do something they
were never trained to-low-level
bombing and strafing-and they
did it well.
Russia Is Big Question.
What is happening in Korea
as reported in the hour-by- hour
dispatches does not reveal the
overall strategy. Americans have
been fighting delaying action,
and their retreats and zigzags
were anticipated. The fighting
will be touch-and-go for days yet,
but eventually the American supply
line will be built UP for advance
at time when the strategic bomb
ing In the north will prevent
the enemy from moving rein
forcementS rapidly.
The big question now is: Why
doesn't Russia send in her own
e reinforcements? Will she feed them
In gradually? Or has she decided
already that to do so means q
large-scale war eventually and
perhaps lot Of death and destruc-
ton which will negate the propa-
ganda she has been spreading
about the alleged desires of the
United Nations countries to make
war?
The feeling in Washington is
this: If Russia wants World War
III TO start now, America, though
not as prepared as she would like
to be. is nevertheless ready for
the challenge. The atomic bombs
are ready. America has an
nounced her intention of using
that weapon and any others she
has in store. If it's to be wal,
there will be no holds barred.
Maybe it's just as well for the
Russians to know that the Korean
aggression has stirred the Ameri-
can Government and the people
almost as much as did the Japa-
nese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Whether mediation or peace moves
come, America will not be the
same as 1t was before the Com
munists marched across the 38th
Parallel in Korea. The die has
been cast for a period of armed
vigilance-and the resolution now
is to take no chances but to mobii-
ize and stand guard.
(Reuroduction Rizhts Reserved1