Evening star., 1950-10-09
The Objective in Korea

At this stage of the war in Korea no one
can tell how long it will take General Macarthur
and his United Nations forces to destroy the
remainder of the Communist aggressors organ
lied political and military strength north of the
38th Parallel. But though the duration of the
battle itself is thus uncertain the objective to be
won-as it will be won-is unmistakably clear:
Stated simply, it is to shatter the enemy and
bring into being united land under genuinely
free and independent government.
To that end, by the overwhelming vote of
Al to 5, the U. N. General Assembly has first
of all reaff1rmed the Security Councils historic
decision Of June n. 1t has done so by implicitly
but emphatically recommending that General
Macarthur send his American and allied United
Nations troops north of the 38th Parallel to
smash the aggressor and insure stability through
out the whole of Korea-stability of sort that
will pave the way for the establishment of "a
unified, independent and democratic govern
ment" in country that will no longer be parti-
toned.
In the same history making resolution, the
Assembly, having in mind Korea's long-range
future after the destruction of the puppet Com
munist tyranny in the north, has called for the
following major steps, Q) Elections to be held
as soon as feasible under the auspices of the
United Nations; (2) the formation of a new u N
commission-made up Of Australia, Chile, The
Netherlands, Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey
and Thailand-to arrange for and supervise those
elections, to promote the unification of the
country, and to direct Korean rehabilitation
and 90 immediate action by the Economic and
Social Council to draft plans for a great inter-
national cooperative program In support of
such rehabilitation.
Considering the evils that Red aggression
has unleashed on Korea, considering also the
additional destruction and human upheaval that
may take place before that aggression is finally
put down, it seems clear that the objective set
by the Assembly's resolution cannot be attained
In rapid order or all at once. The process prob
ably will have to be gradual and fairly slow. The
projected elections, for example, will pose a
number of problems, including the problem of
working out voting arrangements equitable to
the already established and freey-elected gov
ernment at Seoul
Beyond that it is obvious that Korea's wounds
the vast physical destruction that has been
suffered, the fratricidal hates that have been
engendered in bloodshed, the tormenting eco
nomic, social and psychological dslocations that
have rocked the people-will be a long time heal
ing Yet, If the U. N. deals as affirmativelv with
these and kindred matters as 1t has with the
grim military task involved, the goal it has set
for itself will be achieved: The Koreans will
rise again as free nation united under one
nag, and the Soviet-inspired forces of aggres-
sion, having been crushed here, may be deferred
for more than few years to come from striking
again anywhere
Indeed, everything considered, it is not en-
tlreiy inconceivable that decisive victory for
tne cause OF good and enduring world peace
has already been won by the brave men who
nave been f1ghting and dying for decency, free
dom and the rule of law in the Land of Morning
Calm" In that sense, the story of what has
happened in Korea and the United Nations since
last June rs may yet take its place in history as
the finest and most effective phase of humanitys s
age-old struggle against the evil of war and mans
inhumanity to man.