Evening star., 1951-08-02
Not an Inch Should Be Yielded

Secretary AcheSon has done we'll to empha-
size that our American and allied United Ma
tions forces are adamant in their refusal to
accept the idea Of establishing demilitarized
armistice line along the 38th Parallel in Korea
If the Communists continue to insist on this
condition, the talks at Kaesong viii almost GER
tainly break down, for the issue is one that
does not lend itself to compromise.
This is so for two major reasons The first is
that the Parallel-which is artificial to the
point of meaninglessness- miitariy much less
defenSible than the line now held by our Ameri-
can and allied U. N. forces. And the second is
that the Communist demand calls for an un-
thinSable retreat by our troops and the aban-
donment Of hard-won territory that has served
heretofore as a key build-up area for enemy
offensives- specifically. the offensives launched
last April and May.
AS matters stand today, by far the greater
part of the U. N. battle line is well over 20 miles
north of the 3Sth Parallel Militarily speaking.
in terms Of favorable terrain and other impor-
tant fighting factors, nothing could be more
stupid than to agree to withdrawal southwark
from this area-a withdrawal that would leave
our forces in defensive position substantially
weaker than the one held at present. Accord
ingly from the Soldiers viewpoint, simple sanity
plain, ordinary common Sense-demands that
there be no yielding here, not a step back, not
a foot, not an inch
Equally important are the political or propa-
ganda considerations involved. The Chinese
Communists and their North Korean comrades
with blithe and inSolent butchery Of the mill
tary facts (the chief fact being that they have
suffered grievous punishment), have done every
thing possible to give the impression to the hap
less masses under their control that the United
StateS-the so-called paper tiger"-and its
allies have been defeated in Korea In the cir
cumStances, therefore, if the u. N were foolish
enough to pull back to the 38th Parallel it would
be helping the battered enemy to add seeming
plauSibility to this monumental lie
Another reason why there should be no
yielding here is that the u N, if and when a
cease-f1re and armistice are agreed upon. pre-
Sumably will be committing itself not to engage
In air or naval action against the enemy. The
effect of this will be to withdraw our planes
and ships from belligerent operations that have
extended, up to now, far north of the 38th
Parallel-in the sky, all the way to the Man
churian border along the Yalu River, and
throughout the sea around the whole of Korea.
Such withdrawal will be concession enough.
The Communists must be well aware of all
this. In demanding that the U. MS ground
forces pull back to the 38th Parallel, they must
know that they are asking for something that
cannot, and will not, be given. II they keep on
asking for it, what they will really be asking for
is resumption of full-scale hostilities. II thev
are sincerely seeking settlement, if they do not
want the current talks to collapse they had
better retreat from this position without too
much delay. Mr.. AcheSon has made that much
quite clear.