Evening star., 1951-06-03

commander. announcing that the
pursuit phase has now ended
fitted into talk of a possible end
Iof fighting now that Allied forces
Iare back across the 38th Parallel.
Informed officials in London
said Foreign Secretary Morrison
and other British government
leaders believe the psychological
moment for a solid peace move is
nearer now than for a long time
because of the recent resounding
Communist defeat in Korea.
Diplomatic informants in Wash
ington disclosed that the British
Embassy there has been instructed
to seek a review of the situation
with the State Department to see
whether there is some way of end
ing the conflict.
U. S. Ready for Real Accord
Secretary Of State Acheson told
the Macarthur Senate inquiry in
Washington yesterday the United
States is willing to halt the fight
ing at the parallel provided it is a
real" settlement with assurances
of no further Red aggression.
However, he said, he knew of no
present negotiations for peace in
Korea. nor of "any proposals hav-
ing been made by the Red Chi
|nese."
Gen. Van Fleet. in his first
statement, said his forces would
continue to stop the enemy's un-
warranted aggression against the
South Koreans and will, when
necessary and profitable, meet
such threat within North Korea. !"
Later he made 1t clear:
There is no connection between
the trend Of battle on the Korean
front and any reported instruc-
tions from higher authority.
sHighPowered Guessing Came
There has been some conjec-
ture in the press that my battle
plan is tied in with a directive
from top-level sources other than
military.
This assumption is strictly a
Journalistic plunge into a high
powered guessing game.
ANY statements I have made
could not possibly be used as a
justification for what I consider
Iobvious speculation.
"The press has the privilege of
speculation but the speculation is
solely It's own.
your guess-that Of the press
cannot and should not be at
tributed to me.
"All my reports are based on
what has taken place on the bat
Ftlefield and what is taking place.
TN this immediate battle zone,
the 9th Army apparently is stop
ping aggression and will continue
to stop such aggression as the
key point Of its military mission.
No Link to Future Plans.
Nothing I have said can be
construed as instructions from
Authority other than the routine
military channels nothing
II have said has any relationship
to plans for the future.
"My reference to profitable
and necessary targets in North
Korea refers to purely military
targets in the immediate battle
zone.
"It is the purpose of the 9th
Army to destroy those targets be-
fore they can be used in an ag-
|gressive mission against the 9th
Army.
"a study of Gen. Van Fleets
Saturday statement showed he
did not use the word targets"
but rather threats within
North Korea.")
"The 9th Army's recent pursuit
phase ended. of course, when the
major remaining elements of the
enemy had retreated considerable
distances and beyond possible en-
circlement."
In his statement yesterday Gen.
Van Fleet did not amplify why
the pursuit phase was ended. To-
day he did, saying the military
situation dictated it.
These developments followed a
declaration of u. N. Secretary
(See PEACE, Page A-5.)