Evening star., 1950-10-02
U.N. Faces CHALLENGE
In Finding Out What
Motivated Red Korea
Complete Inquiry
Needed Into Ties
With Moscow, Chino
By David Laurence


tory is not ending-it is Just be-
ginning. When the fighting ceases
the United Nations will have be-
Tore 1t the biggest challenge il
has ever faced-to get the facts as
to what motivated the aggression
how the plot was carried out, and
who were the conspirators.
To appoint a commission mere
ly to hold elections and establish
a new governmental machinery
Tor the entire republic is a neces-
sary step, of course, but it is far
from adequate. Another commits
mission of inquiry which can ex-
pose to the whole world all the
facts about the preparations made
by the North Koreans and where
they got their munitions and their
military advice would 60 far to-
ward preventing another case of
aggression.
Ihere are, moreover, certain
war criminals to be tried-the
men who ordered American BOYS
executed when taken prisoner,
These crimes. however, are not all
who need to be punished. It is
primarily the civilians in the
North Korean regime who must
be tried for their crimes. Unques-
tionably there are plenty of North
Korean officials and employees of
the government who know the in
SIDE facts and will be glad to re-
veal them.
Links With Russia,
The communications between
North Korea and Russia must be
thoroughly explored. It is ineyi-
table that the ties of the North
Koreans with the Communist gov
ernment in. China should also be
carefully examined. Certainly it
would be folly to admit Commu-
mist China into the United Ma
tlons before finding out what
part her government played in the
North Korean plot. Mere con-
a troll OF a major part of a coun-
g try isn't the sole condition that
has to be met in extending recog-
: milton. 1t is the capacity of a
government to discharge interna-
.tional obligations which counts
and there is no better way to find
this out than by examining how
that government has Leen ham
ding its obligations in the past.
II the Russian government
: which almost everybody is con-
vinced was the power behind
North Korea-gets away with the
aggression just committed, then
the proceedings of the U. N. might
as well be inferred along with the
archives of the League of Nations
which did not venture to enforce
international peace.
Nearly 10000 Casualties.
The United States suffered
nearly 10000 casualties in the
Korean fighting. This is many
times larger than that of any
other member of the U. N. Do the
members of the U. N. believe that
American public opinion will be
concerned about local wars in the
future and that smaller nations
will be safe against aggression if
nothing is done to ferret out the
governments and the individuals
in those governments who are to
blame for the aggression in
Korea?
The U. N. will be taking a risk
OF giving an impetus to isolation
ism in America if it debates and
argues fine points of international
politeness while American families
mourn the loss of their sons or
watch manned soldiers in wheel
chairs exc out their lonely lives
waiting to see whether their sac
rifices have been in vain.
The U. N. now has access to
North Korea. 1t can get the rec
ords and put the guilty on trial
and, If the evidence is conclusive,
1t can in due time place the blame
on the Moscow government and
raise the question of whether the
ENJOYS of that regime shall be
permitted to sit in the United Ma
tions with the blood of American
and European and Asiatic soldiers
on their hands. It's a moment of
great challenge for the U. N.