Evening star., 1952-10-01
Still Up to Russia

The report ABOUT the presence OF RUSSIAN
troops in Korea adds up to something less than
astonishing news. After all, ever since the Red
aggressors struck across the 3Sth Parallel more
than two years ago, the men of the Kremlin-;
despite pretending to be peace-loving nom
interveners-have in effect been waging an
undeclared war against the United Nations by
giving open political and military support to the
Communists fighting our American and allied
forces.
Politically this support has taken the form
of an all-out Soviet effort to defend the North
Korean and Chinese Communists in the United
Nations It has taken the form, too, of a world
wide propaganda campaign made up of monstrous
lies vilifying the overwhelming U. N. majority
particularly the United States-for having under
taken to use armed power to put down this crime
of aggression AS for military aid, the Kremlin
has scarcely bothered to disguise the fact that
it has been supplying the Red forces with such
things as radar controlled anti-aircraft guns and
hundreds of Russian-made jet fighter planes.
Considering how they are thus deeply
involved in the conflict it is not surprising that
the men of the Kremlin have assigned members
of their armed forces to the theater of battle
Actually there has been evidence for more than
year past that many OF the enemys Jets are
being flown by Russian pilots, and the logic OF
the situation fully supports the statement Of an
unnamed but high American officer that several
thousand Russian troops are now stationed In
rear areas of North Korea. These troops appear
to be specially trained for technical advisory
roles and such other duties as the manning of
AA guns, whose fire has grown increasingly ac-
curate in recent months However, although
their function seems to be strictly limited to
fields far removed from front-lne combat, their
mere presence south of the Yalu River serves
to underscore the fact that a resumption OF
full-scale hostiities could bring about direct
clash between the u N. and the Korean con-
tingents of the u S. S. R.-a development that
could lead to greatly enlarged war.
This is something that the Soviet leaders
may want very much to avoid. If so, they have
reason not merely to make sure that their troops
in Korea stay far from the front lines, but also
to use their influence to break the deadlock In
the truce talks at Panmunjom. That influence
can be decisive. The emlin-instigator OF the
Korean crime and chief arms supplier of the
North Korean and Chinese Communists
but to nod to Pyongyang and Peiping to bring
about an early agreement on an armistice.
Certainly, only the naive will suppose that the
aggressor armies would continue to fight the
U. N. if Russian support were withdrawn.
~ That support, Of course, Is the nub Of the
situation. While it remains available, the North
Korean and Chinese Reds will do the Kremlin's
bidding But If the Kremlin once makes up its
mind that it has nothing to gain from delaying
an armistice any longer, if it decides to write on
what it has tried to do with its puppet forces In
Korea, the Panmunjom impasse will quickly end.
AS has been the case since the start Of the ag-
gression in June, 1850, there can be peace over
there Just as soon as the Russians want it.