Evening star., 1951-06-10

between Turkey and the United
States today an agreement which
would result in Turkey going to
Americas aid If America got in
trouble or America going to
Turkeys aid if Turkey was at
tackled by an outside aggressor,
Secretary Acheson-No, no such
agreement exists.
Senator Cain :. Mr.. Secre-
Itary, we have been advised by
other witnesses that RaShin, which
is situated in northeast Korea and
lis employed by the enemy as a
large supply and distribution depot
and center, was bombed on at
least one occasion by allied air.
craft.
We have been told that the
State Department took action to
see that Rashin was not bombed
again.
6 lines debated by censor.)
With reference to this question,
the Chief Of Naval Operations tes-
titled on page 1854:
"The Russians had an arrange
ment to use Rashin. They did use
1t at times since the war began" +"
Mr.. Secretary, 7 am satisfied
that military necessity would re-
quire the destruction of military
depots, supplies, and facilities in
Rashin. 1t appears to be the case
that political considerations have
dictated that Rashin is to be used
in any way and for whatever pur-
pose the enemy wishes.
Your presence with us makes it
possible for use and the country
to secure a full understanding and
appreciation of the political rea-
sons which justify providing our
enemy with f1reproof and bomb
proof supply center in the heart
of enemy country.
Explains Decision on Rashin.
Will you please, sir, take as
much time as you think may be
required to brief us fully on this
question.
Secretary Acheson-The ques-
ton of the bombing of Rashin
came up, believe. in the summer
of 1850 or August 1850, and as
you have already been told in this
hearing. there was one raid which
was carried on against it and an
other was going to be carried on,
but was called off on account of
weather.
The State Department objected
strongly to carrying on raids
against a place which was II miles
from the Soviet border and which
raised very great dangers of in
volving Soviet forces.
This thing came up again in
September, at which we presented
our view, and the matter of bomb
ing 1t was not pressed by the
Joint Chiefs of Staff. 1t was dis
cuSsed later at sometime in 1851,
I believe. and it was unanimously
concluded not to do it.
The view that this is an i'm
portant supply point, think, is
not borne out by the facts. It is
II miles from the Soviet border.
There is rail line running down
from Siberia into Manchuria and
then down into Rashin. There is
no rail line south from Rashin,
so it is not an important supply
point. Supplies would have to go
by truck from there.
Rail Lines More Important.
It was thought that it was much
more important to interrupt the
rail lines in the southerly parts of
it which were not near the Soviet
border and which would not run
the risk Of involving the Soviet
forces.
That has been done since and
that rail line is interrupted. There
is constant naval fire directed at
Chongjin. Songjin and Wonsan,
going on we'll over 100 days. which
is interrupting their line of COM
munications.
Therefore, it seems to us that
the advantages of this action were
not great and the dangers in
volved in it were very considerable.
Senator Cain-It seems to me
that the Secretary of State has
just gotten himself over into the
field of military consideration.
A few minutes ago the Senator
from Alabama inquired of you as
to where military plans were for
mulated and agreed to, and you
said in the Pentagon. I have
never known from military point
Of view that you ignored or by
passed a supply depot just because
it was not quite as important as
some other supply source. My
understanding is that supplies and
military weapons in Korea are
transported on the ground by
trucks or on foot by one way or
another.
But to come back to my orig
inal question, sir-the quote of
the Naval Chief of Operations was
that Russians had arrangements
to use Rashin that they did use
it at times since the war began
May I ask what that means?
Secretary Acheson II don't
know, sir: I have no such infor-
nation