Evening star., 1951-07-03


Must Insist on Unified
Korea as Peace Basis
With the United States moving
cautiously toward a truce in the
Korean war, Senator Sparkman,
Democrat, of Alabama said to-
day this country should not
agree to any peace settlement
that makes the 38th Parallel an
international boundary between
North and South Korea.
| 1--WE must insist upon the right
iof a United Nations Commission
to enter North Korea and to set
up the machinery for free cleo
tions so the people can vote on
the question of a united and
democratic government of their
own" said Senator Sparkman, a
member of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee.
| His comments Swere given
against the background of keen
congressional concern about the
terms of any peace agreement
which included these other state
ImentS:
/. Assistant Secretary of State
Dean Rusk said that despite the
Communist offer to meet with Gen.
Matthew B. Ridgway, the U. N.
commander, "as much caution is
still in order as there was a week
Iago." He made the statement yes
Iterday as he went to the Capitol
to brief the Senate Foreign Rela-
Itions Committee on developments.
2. Senator Stennis, Democrat, of
Mississippi urged the Senate to
Igo on record against the admis-
sion of Communist China to the
United Nations.
3. Senator Wiley. Republican, OF
Wisconsin, a Foreign Relations
Committee member, noted that
neither Communist China nor
Russia will be represented off,
cially at the cease-flre discussions
and said they may be seeking TO
avoid responsibility for truce
terms so they may be free to
resume aggression.
4. Senator Cain, Republican, OF
Washington, said in a statement
that the Communist delay in truce
negotiations may be only to win
them time to bring up a new 500,-
O00-man international brigade"
for another attack on U. N. forces.
!, Senator Sparkman said he did
not believe the United States
could afford to give consideration
in the peace negotiations to &C
cepting again the 38th Parallel as
the international boundary be-
tween the two Koreas. 1t was
Established as such after World
War II.
Secretary of State AcheSon has
said the U. N. military objective
in Korea could be fulfilled by, a
. truce at the Parallel if there
should be sufficient assurance the
Communists would not renew the
fighting. But he has also empha-
sized that united and demo-
cratic Korea would remain this
country's political aim.
| Meanwhile, officials here offered
three possible explanations of why
the Communists proposed holding
the peace talks between July 10
;iand 15-a proposal which brought
from Gen. Ridgway a counter sug-
Igestion for starting preliminary
negotiations July S.
These were:
i /. The United Nations terms for
an armistice are believed to de-
mand a halt on the movement Of
any reinforcements into Korea
until the military truce gives way
to an overall settlement.
2. The Chinese Reds are now
moving fresh and probably better
equipped troops into Korea to re-
place at least some of the 581 400
men they are estimated to have
lost there.
8. Chinese Communist forces
will probably refuse to leave North
Korea until their North, Korean
allies are strong enough and SO
located as to counterbalance the
South Korean force, now fighting
with the U. N. team, which would
remain in Korea after other Allied
units left following a general peace
settlement.
The United Nations command is
expected to use it's 10000 Red
prisoners to the maximum ad-
vantage in bargaining for the re-
lease of an unknown number of
Allied soldiers behind enemy
Istockades.
| An exchange of prisoners .on a
Ione-for- basis is repeatedly
among the armistice conference
points which Gen. Ridgway has or
will convey to the Chinese and
North Korean commanders.
The accepted rules of warfare
generally provide that prisoners
may be exchanged during armi-
Istice periods and before the con-
clusion of general peace settle
mentS.