Evening star., 1951-05-02
Did Truman or u. N. Act First?
Dispute to Be Aired at Inquiry

DlSPule 70 DeA
with Congress set for q full in
quiry into the Macarthur affair.
! one of the disputed points in the
controversery likIy to be aired is:
Did President Truman send
troops into Korea last summer be-
fore the United Nations acted?
It already has been discussed
at some length in Congress. Some
contend that Mr.. Truman acted
first and obtained U. N. approval
later. Others say the President
acted on the basis Of a June rs
resolution adopted by the U. N.
Security Council.
Adding to the confusion was the
fact that the Security Council ex-
panded that resolution by another
adopted on June 27-but that ac-
tion came several hours after Mr..
Truman had announced he had
ordered air and sea support for
the South Koreans.
Chronology of Events.
In view of the disputed point,
there is presented here chrono-
logy of the events as they hap
pened:
On June "a, 1850, North Koreans
began an invasion of the South
Korean Republic.
At 3 am. June IS, the United
States requested an immediate
meeting of the Security Council
to consider the situation.
At 2 pm, June Is, the council
met. It adopted resolution call
ing for a ceaSe-fire order and
the withdrawal of the invaders.
and urging member countries to-
render every assistance" to the
United Nations in carrying out
the provisions of the resolution.
On June q, at noon, President
Truman announced he had or
dered air and sea support for the
South Koreans as well as other
steps to counter the aggression.
Resolution Adopted.
On the same day, at 3 pm. the
Security Council met and received
from United States Ambassador
Austin a report on the action
taken by the President. The
council then adopted a second
resolution again calling for with
drawal of the invaders and recon-
mending:
THAT the members Of the
United Nations furnish such asSiS-
taflce to the. Republic of Korea as
may be necessary to repel the
armed attack and restore interna-
tional peace and security in the
area"
On July 7 the council by resolu-
tion commended the assistance
that had been given and author
lied the United States to name a
commander in chief of the U. N.
forces.
Out Of these events have arisen
the dispute. One of those who has
reached the conclusion that Mr..
Truman acted only after the U. N.
is Representative Stefan, Repub-
lican, Of Nebraska, member OF
the House Appropriations subcom-
mittee handling State Depart
ment funds.
Cites Letter From Austin
AS part of his research Mr..
Stefan made inquiries at the
State Department and Of Mr..
Austin. It is his opinion that the
President acted on the basis of
the June Is resolution expanded
by the June 81 one. AS part OF
his Recommendation of this view he
cites letter from Mr.. Austin to
him in which the Ambassador
wrote:
1.-THE President did not send
troops into Korea before the
United Nations acted"
AS for any ratification or ap-
proval. 1t was a case OF the
United Nations acting first. The
United Nations could not direct
any member to furnish armed
forces, and did not try to do so. I"
According to Mr.. Stefan, one
reason for the confusion-made
apparent to him by many in
quiries from members of Congress
and otherS-was one additional
action. Even before the June Is
resolution. he pointed out, the
President ordered American air
and sea forces to evacuate United
States nationals from the troubled
area. No one would question the
Presidents right and duty to take
such steps to protect American
citizens.
Opposing Point Of. View.
Those taking an opposing point
of view to that Of Mr.. Stefan and
others are quick to point out that
the June 25 resolution did not
call for armed assistance to the
South Koreans. It asked, they
emphasized, only for assistance to
the United Nations. 1t was not