Evening star., 1951-08-14
T ruce
Continued From First Page.)

again insisted the Red demand for
a buffer zone along the 38th Par
allel was Just as reasonable. :"
Gen. Nam repeatedly called the
U. N position absurd and ar
rogant."
u. n. Position Flexible.
While Admiral Joy and Gen.
Nam argued in the sweltering heat
of Kaesong, Gen. Ridgway told a
news conference in Tokyo the
Allied position was not intlexible.
The line we propose is the line
now generally held by the United
Nations forceS,' the U. N. COM
mander said. 1T is a military
line. devoid of political implica-
tions, and the general line along
which our forces now stand facing
north"
He did not indicate the depth
of buffer zone he wants.
Communist negotiators say he
wants the demilitarized zone to
extend substantially north Of the
present Allied line
I'VE have no effort to draw a
rigid line" Gen. Ridgway said.
After a demarcation line is
agreed on, he explained, the Reds
could pick any line which would
give them as much defensive abil-
ity as we. have
Reds Would Withdraw.
He conceded that the U. N.
proposal for establishment of an
administrative demarcation line
and creation of a buffer zone
would result in a Communist
withdrawal from their present
positions.
United Nations forces also prob
ably would have to pull back
slightly, he said.
But, he emphasized, the u. N.
will not accept the 38th Parallel
as demarcation line. That is
the old political boundary between
North and South Korea. 1t is
poor terrain, militarily, for de-
fense purposes. Communist drives
have overwhelmed Allies along
that line on two previous occa-
SlonS, he pointed out. They were
at the start of the war and again
last New Years Eve.
The U. N. wants to hold it's
present positions, he said, because:
1T is defensible line. The hill
masses and the high points along
it's length command the main
routes from the north which.
throughout the long history of
Korea, have been the main routes
of in !asion.
Position Thoroughly Explained.
We are not infiexible. Our
point of s'ew mas been thoroughly
explained to the Communist de-
legateS, and we have expressed
our willingness to make adjust
.ments in the line as required by
topography and the logic of
events.
THE United Nations command
is doing and is prepared to do
everything possible, with honor
and without appeasement, to
carry the negotiations for a mill
tary armistice to a successful con-
clusion."
At Kaesong, Gen. Nuckols re-
ported, the head of the Commu-
mist delegation made IAN attack
on the U. N. contention rather
than a defense of the Red posi-
ton"
Gen. Mans belittling attack on
U. N. air and naval power pre-
sumably was in answer to previous
emphasis by Admiral Joy that this
power must be considered in fixing
a demarcation line for ground
forces.
Gen. Nuckols said Gen. Mans
attack was contradictory.
Sea, Air Superiority Conceded.
On one hand the North Korean
general said U. N. air and naval
power was of little effect in the
Korean war. All it was doing, he
said, was killing women and chill
dren and destroying their homes.
On the other hand, Gen. Nam
said the Reds would have driven
U. N. troops from Korea if it was
not for the Allie" temporary ad-
vantage" with naval and air su-
periority.
In reply, Admiral Joy told Gen.
Nam:
Your rail and highway systems
are continuously under U. N. air
ATTACK and U. N. naval forces
jdeny you the use of the sea and
Iinterdict your land routes along
the coast. Your personnel, sup