davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-06-15

in violation Of the Korean constitu-
tion. He has used his national police
as an army and his army as a police
force. So far he has gotten away
with it.
There is Joker in all this, how
ever. DR.. Rhee would not have gotten
away with it if he were not the hero
of the Korean peasants, which means
a majority of the Korean people. He
also controls the peasant army.
No Competition
The fact is that DR.. Rhee has been
his country's No. hero for so many
years that Korea finds itself without
another outstanding leader to COM
pete against him.
Some idea of the power this man
wields became apparent last month,
when the Assembly. by a vote of So to
3, ordered DR.. Rhee to cancel army
rule. DR.. Rhee ignored the order,
and q sit-down strike by the Assem-
bly,. Martial law remained in effect.
Taking page out of President Tru-
mans book, DR.. Rhee said his implied
powers permitted him this indulgence.
When Vice President Kim Foo,
leader Of the Democratic Nationalists,
resigned in protest, DR.. Rhee simply
did not accept the resignation. And
there the matter stands.
Outlook
Although he denies it. there is
some reason to suspect that DR.. Rhee
may be planning a coup d'etat. He
has concentrated Korean troops in
the old perimeter area around PuSan
Some of his statements sound like
preparation for coup. He contends
that the Assembly "has almost dis
qualified itself" His charges against
the arrested aSsemblymen are vague,
but he has said the government has
''undeniable" evidence that large
Communist funds have been used to
buy the legislators. Few outside OBJ
servers put any stock In his charges
II this tense situation should ex-
Evening star., 1952-06-15

BY keeping these II in jail and
getting So of his friends in the AS
sembly to stay away, Rhee prevents
the legislature from getting quorum
necessary to conduct its election.
. The Assembly has demanded that
its colleagues be released, and that
martial law be lifted. DR.. Rhee has
ignored the demands.
Most observers think DR.. Rhee
could win a popular election. He
himself processes not to be interested
in another term as President. But
he has not said he would resist a
public demand for his reelection.
In terms of principle, then, the
question raised by DR.. Rhee's actions
is a complex one. The President of
Korea is a popular man among his
people. He proposes to hold his
power by the basically democratic
processes of appealing directly to
his people. But he proposes to do
this by flouting the constitutional
system which the Koreans have ap-
proved, which is the law of the land
and which happens to stand in
his way.
Is this process of which we can
approve? The average mans answer
will depend. In part at least, on an
assessment of the man himself.
Life and Times
DR.. Rhee had a hard time of it in
his early years. He spent most of his
life in exile to escape Japanese rule in
Korea. A Methodist teacher, he has
been a lifetime revolutionary. but
held little or no temporal power until
1945-when he was in his late COS.
Never a stickler for the finer nuan-
ces of public relations, he oftenshas
seemed more than somewhat injudi-
cious since he was elected first Presi-
dent Of Korea in 1948.
A sword-rattling explosion by DR..
Rhee against the North Koreans in
the uneasy days preceding the in
vasion Of South Korea Mortified his
Evening star., 1952-06-15
Natures Course

Some students of the problem
believe that too much emphasis Is
being placed on the necessity Of
preventing Shutdowns at all costs.
This view was summarized for The
Star last week by Nathan P. Fem
singer, head Of the Wage Stabili-
zation Board. He put it bluntly:
1--WE should get over being scared
of strikes in periods of crisis.
Sometimes we lose less production
by allowing strike than by getting
ants in our pants and letting the
Government telegraph its punches"
Mr.. Feinsinger is no apostle Of
labor anarchy. He believes the
Government needs powers to cope
with real emergencies. He feels,
however, that more would be ac-
complished by letting Damocles'
sword hang by a thread than by
swinging the sword at every oppor-
tunity.
Among those who agree with Mr..
Evening star., 1952-06-15

Any one attempting to analyze the
issues swirling these days around the
white-thatched head of Syngman
Rhee, president of the Korean
Republic, quickly finds himself in
volved in a study of contradictions.
Here is a man who wants to stake
his political future on popular elec-
tions-which is supposed to be the
democratic way of doing things. Yet
in trying to take this step. he is
threatening the survival of consti-
tutional government in the infant
republic which he helped bring into
existence and which the United
Nations is fighting to defend.
Here is a man who has bitten the
hand that feeds him to a point where
the U. N. and the United States Gov
ernment are, in effect, opposing his
reelection. Yet there is no one in
Korea who seems capable of filling
his shoes.
What is 1t all about?
The Setup
According to South Korea's consti-
tuition, the legislature elects the coun-
try's chief executive. The Korean
National Assembly is required by law
to hold its next presidential election
by June %. Left to its own devices,
the Assembly would never re-elect
DR.. Rhee.
Having known this for some time,
the 77-year-old President has sought
to amend the constitution so that
popular elections could replace such
a National Assembly vote. The Ma
tional Assembly, however, has been
firm in rejecting all such suggestions.
After the last rebuff in the AS
sembly. by vote of 143 to 10. DR..
Rhee declared martial law in most
South Korean provinces, including
Pusan, the provisional capital. He
arrested II assemblymen on fiimsy
charges of accepting bribes. and made
sinister references to their possible
collision with the Communists. A
18th assemblyman Is in jail on
charges Of killing an army ofacer.
Evening star., 1952-06-15

cused all during the steel dispute
of playing along with the union.
But in asking for seizure this time,
the President did recognize that
the great need was to create the
climate conducive to successful
negotiation.
Eoch Gets Less
In his message, Mr.. Truman said:
"The type of legislation I have de-
scribed will undoubtedly increase
the incentives for the parties to
settle their differences through bar
gaining. The companies will face
the possibility of receiving some
thing less than their normal profits
as just compensation. And the
workers will face the prospect of
getting less than they think they
are entitled to-"
Mr.. TrumanS appeal for legisla-
ton contained a plea for the right
to raise workers pay. To limited
extent, this might have been &C
ceptable even to the steel COM
panieS, which have agreed to the
majority of the unions demands.
The President did not suggest
any time limit on the seizure power.
Senator Maypank of South Caro-
lima would have given him a 120-
day period, but would have frozen
wages. Senator Morse of Oregon
a liberal Republican-would have
granted the President the right to
raise wages, but would have slapped
a 60-day limit on seizure.
Chine's PIon
Still another idea advanced along
this line is that of Mr.. Ching, head
of the Federal Mediation and Con-
ciliation Service. Talking not Spe-
cifically about the steel strike, but
generally about strikes of this
nature, Mr.. Ching explained his
Evening star., 1952-06-15

plode in violence and there is no out
side intervention, DR.. Rhee could
doubtless put down his opposition by
force. But there also is no doubt he
would have battle on his hands He
probably would have to drain thou
sands Of South Korean troops from
the front line in order to keep order
and quell outbursts. Communist
guerrillaS would feed on the situation.
And the result would be additional
burdens for the United Nations troops
in Korea. Besides being deprived of
South Korean manpower at a critical
time. they would have to give addi-
tional thought to the problem of pro-
tecting their rear areas.
The real question is this one: Could
the U. NJ, which went into Korea to
protect constitutional government,
allow its troops to stand idly by while
Syngman Rhee built himself a mill
tary dictatorship?
Dilemma
That is a problem most Western
planners hope they will never have
to face. For they find themselves on
the horns of cruel dilemma.
They know that if DR.. Rhee pushes
the constitution aside, the u. N. will
be fighting for a country which vio-
lates the principles on which the
U. N. was founded.
But they also know that if Dr. Rhee
gives in to Western pressure and al
lows the National Assembly to elect
new president, even the modicum
of unity which exists in Korea today
may be lost in the search for a new
leader.
Judging from the line we and the
U. N. have been taking toward the
Korean government problem in recent
weeks. We seem already to have made
our choice as to the lesser of these
two evils. We apparently have de-
cided to take. our chance with a new
Korean President chosen by the Ma
tional Assembly. in preference to 60
ing along with an unconstitutional
President Rhee.
Evening star., 1952-06-15
Get Tough

Despite what Mr.. Feinsinger says
about the inadvisability of tough
ness, there are plenty of students of
the problem who believe that some
degree of toughness is the only
answer. President Truman is one
of them. His mediator, Cyrus s.
Ching, is another.
The President, in his message to
Congress last week, said in effect:
The Supreme Court didn't say sell
zure itself was unconstitutional; it
said simply that Congress had
granted him no such power. All
right, grant it.
Four plans directly aimed at CIV
ing the President some sort of sei-
zure power were put before the
Senate. All were defeated, The
Senate'S answer, as put up by Sena-
tor Byrd and approved by a ma
jority of the upper house was: Use
Taft-Hartley.
President Truman has been &C
Evening star., 1952-06-15

views to The Star in this way last
week:
When a strike in vital industry
is threatened, a board should be
appointed to sift out the facts and
make recommendations. These rec
concentrations might be a sug-
gested solution to the dispute, or
they might be a guidepost for
future negotiations. In either case,
they should be made public imme-
diately, so national opinion will
have an opportunity to jell.
Such a board, Mr.. Ching believes,
should be made up of disinterested
members of the public, rather than
of labor, industry and public mem
bers. He feels that in almost all
cases, the solution offered would
be reasonable enough to get pub
lie support.
On the basis of the boards find
ings, the two sides would be asked
to get together again. Or, If a
strike were in effect, the workers
would be asked to return to their
jobs.
If the unionists refused to 20
back to work, Mr.. Ching says, an
injunction should be obtained. II
the industry staged lockout, Con-
gresS should grant seizure powers.
In Mr.. Ching's view, there should
be no time limit to Injunction or
seizure. when you people get to-
gether," the Government would saw.
I'VE will step out. Meanwhile, we
run the plants and production will
continue"
The Importance Of public opin-
ions role in Mr.. Chings plan is
not to be underestimated. Big
labor and big industry are widely
supposed to have scant interest in
what the public thinks. Actually.
MIR. Ching says, both are exceed
ingly sensitive to national UNDER
currents Of opinion. A fair rec
ommendation, Mr.. Ching believes.
would do much toward creating
that climate most conducive to
settlement.
Evening star., 1952-06-15

there is a question, too, whether
the individual members of the
union would go back to work even
if the injunction were granted.
And even granting that Taft
Hartley is a way to get the steel
mills back into operation, it is not
a quick way. Two weeks or more
might elapse before an injunction
could be obtained. And then an
other week-give or take a few
days-would have to pass before
the mills were operating again at
capacity. There is no way to speed
the warm-up time after a back-to-
work movement starts. But there
is way, many people point out, to
avoid delay in getting the workers
back on the job.
Evening star., 1952-06-15

Feinsinger, there are some who
think the steel strike would have
settled itself in short order If it
had been allowed to start without
Government interference last April.
If the strike had begun at that
time, they believe, the mills would
long since have been back in op-
Grafton.
Pressures Tokine Hold
According to this line of reason
ing, economic pressures would have
begun to take hold. And the pres
sure Of public opinion would have
been felt even more strongly than
lit iszbeing felt today. The mere
threat of strike did not excite Con-
gress and the public unduly, they
point out. But had the men walked
out-had the mills gone dark
Congress might well have been
amenable to seizure. And the pub
ncIS reactlon, even without seizure,
might have brought the two sides
back to the bargaining table-and
to a settlement.
Adherents of such a belief hold
in the words of Mr.. FeinSinger-
that most industries and unions
believe that even a bad settlement
is better than a good victory when
Uncle Sam hands out the spoils. :"
Mr.. Feinsinger is less prone than
most to view today's labor situa-
ton with alarm. On the contrary,
he halls the progress that has been
made in the Is years since the
Wagner Act went into effect.
Labor Progress Hailed
"The free enterprise SYSTEM" Mr..
FeinSinger asserts, "has adjusted
itself admirably to q revolution in
labor management.
Fifteen years ago, industry did
Evening star., 1952-06-15

take an oblique look at the prob
lem of strikes affecting the national
safety and welfare. It contains a
provision that when negotiations
fall through in such cases, the
Government can appoint a fact
finding board and then-on the
basis of the boards report-can
seek an injunction to prevent a
strike for 80 days.
During this no-strike period, the
rank and file of the union must
vote on the management's final
offer. If the rank and file approves
the offer, the strike is over and the
contract is signed. To that extent,
Taft-Hartley works as an inStru-
ment for labor harmony.
A Decd End
But what if the rank and file
rejects it? That is where Taft
Hartley reaches dead end. Under
the law, after the 80-day period
runs its course, the Injunction is
vacated and there is no new way
to avert a strike.
Proponents of Taft-Hartley say it
has acted on numerous occasions
to bring peace. This is true. But
what the opponents say also is true
that negotiations have a way of
rocking along during the 80 days
without much happening.
In the present crisis, many citizens
(and apparently the majority of the
Senate) believe Taft-Hartley should
be used in spite of the Presidents
reluctance to invoke it. Mr.. Truman
has argued on several occasions
in the last so days that the union
already has delayed a strike for
longer than the law provides. With
this in mind, there is a serious ques-
ton whether court would grant
an injunction for 80 days. And
Evening star., 1952-06-15
Root Of the Problem

That climate, incidentally, is the
goal OF each Of the plans discussed
ABOVE. 1t Is what Mr.. Feinsinger
wants when he says to let nature
take its course. 1t is what Taft
Hartley proponents want when
they urge an injunction period. It
is what MIR. Ching and Mr.. Truman
want from seizure.
There are, of course, other sug-
gested ways of coping with the
problem-all of them aimed at
creating the necessary climate.
Some of them are quite mild. and
consist OF almost endless mediation.
Others are so Draconian as to bs
repugnant to most Americans.
These severe measures include
such procedures as compulsory arbi-
tratlon, under which the two sides
would be told to state their cases.
await an arbitrator's decision, and
accept it-or else.
unfortunately, arbitration works
best when the two sides agree in
advance to accept it. When the ar
bitration is involuntary, it is likely
to follow that the "else" will have
to be even more severe-such as ex-
preparation of industry or COM
pulsion of labor. BY the time the
Nation gets to this point, it has
gone farther down Mr.. Feinsinger's
road OF toughness" than most
people want to see it go.
Preventive or Therapeutic?
All these suggestions to stop vital
strikes once they have begun fall
into the category of therapeutic
medicine-they are to be used when
the patient is i'll. But many of the
same people who are advancing
such programs are looking into the
question of preventive medicine
to be used to keep the patient
healthy
These people say that it is not
enough to deal with the problem
when it comes to a head. It is nee
essary, they say, to take long look
at Americas whole labor structure
and find ways to improve it.
They warn, too, that it would be
a mistake to chop away at the
gains In labor relations in order to
correct conditions which still are
not perfect. Rather, they urge, find
out first of all what is right with
labor relations and nail down these
advances. Then look for the bugs"
The remedy, they believe, may not
be hard to find.
Observers of the labor scene point
out that 10 years ago the chances
for peace in the auto industry
looked slim. Today, the auto indus
try Is among the most stable in the
Nation. General Motors worked out
a formula for the auto industry
which has worked out well so far.
The airplane, farm implement,
rubber and meat packing industries
also were arenas Of labor -manage-
ment conflict in years past. They
were the industrial bad boys" of
a decade ago. Today they enjoy
peace.
Although it is not an answer to
the present crisis, the finding of a
peaceful way may we'll be the an
Swer to. future ones. As one high
Government official put it last week,
IF we can get cooperation rather
than conflict at the labor manage
ment conference table-negotiation
based on mutual confidence rather
than on mutual fear and distrust,
perhaps we will find the answer to
the present problem without even
looking for It,"
Evening star., 1952-06-15
Universal Healer

Time-another segment of opin-
ion holds-will heal all wounds.
Such is the nature of the Taft
Hartley Act approach to the labor
problem. Essentially, Taft Hartley
is designed to prolong labor peace
in the hope that labor strife will
not develop. 1t has not always
worked out that way. 1t is debatable
whether it would work in the
present crisis.
While Taft-Hartley does not ap-
proach a solution directly, it does
Evening star., 1952-06-15
By Jerry O'Leory, Jr.

American advisers. It gave the Com
munists of the north one of their
more credible arguments for assert
ing that their 1850 invasion was
staged in self-defense.
An uncompromising foe of COM
munism, he has been equally ruthless
against his own opposition within the
South Korean republic.
Assassination, historically fine art
in Korea, has flourished in the Rhee
regime. Kim Koo, possibly DR.. Rhee's
only real rival in the affections of his
people, died at the hands of an ROK
army captain in 1949.
DR.. Rhee's troubles with his Assem-
bly, have been notorious. He has ap-
propriated funds by executive order,
Evening star., 1952-02-02

was held. washington, . member
Of Christ Episcopal Church In
Alexandria. often attended serv-
ices here. When he died the
memorial sermons were preached
here because bad weather made
the roads to his own church Inn
paSsable,
In the graveyard behind the
church are found memorial slabs
for many Of Washington's friends.
Among them are DR.. James Craik,
chief physician and surgeon OF
the Continental Army. On the
north side Is the Tomb of the
Unknown Revolutionary Soldier. q
Kentucky youth known but to
God" The tomb was placed there
by the National Society, Children
Of the Revolution, on April 10,
1929.
Hit By Lightning III 1855.
The Meeting House was struck
by lightning and partially de-
stroyed on July 26, 1885. II was
restored two years later. After the
Civil War the congregation kept
going steadily doWphill. until the
doors were closed In 1886. From
then until June 70, I949, it stood
as an empty shrine.
The present minister. Mr..
Phifer, was installed in November,
1850. A native Of Lewisburg.
Tenn, he IS q graduate OF Center
College and Of the Louisville
Presbyterian Seminary. He also
has q M. A. degree from Wander
bilt University. Mr.. Phifer pre-
viously served as pastor Of the
Presbyterian Church in Franklin,
Tenn, 1942-1945, and Of the Oak
land Avenue Church. Rock Hill,
S. c.. 1916 1850.
Mr.. and Mrs. Phifer live at 122
North Alfred street, Alexandria.
with their three children.
Evening star., 1952-02-02
Anacosfia Naval Chapel
Preaching Mission Sci

A Protestant preaching mission
|for naval personnel In the Wash
|ington area win be held Monday
Through Friday In the Naval Re
|ceiving Chapel. Anacostia.
DR.. Robert Skinner, pastor Of
Presbyterian Church, Westfield
IN. J.. viii be guest speaker al
|7:3O pm. services each day. Ht
win also preach at noon Services
each day IN other Navy chapels
ia the area.
The preaching series is spon-
|sored by the Protestant Navy
|chaplains Of the area, under the
|suspices of the National Council
|of Churches and the Joint Chap
|lains' Board Of the Department
LOT Defense.
Evening star., 1952-02-02
Organization Service
By Advent Lutheran
In South Arlington

The Advent Lutheran Church
u South Arlington viii hold for
nal organization services tomor-
row in oakridge Elementary
School. Twenty-fourth and Nash
streets South.
At II an. members win be re-
eeiyed. Q constitution win be
adopted. and the sacrament Of
baptism for infants and children
viii be administered.
A service Of organization will
be held at'7:3o pm. DR.. r. Homer
Anderson. superintendent Of the
Virginia Synod Of the United
lutheran Church. VIII be guest
preacher. Navy Chaplain Arthur
:. Boyer and clergy Of the com-
munity win take part.
Navy Chaplain Elmer Bosser-
man win speak at = $50 pm.
community dinner Monday in Cal
Eary Methodist Church, Twenty
third and Grant streets South.
The Advent Church congrega-
lion. along with two other mis-
dons. win be received into mem-
sership Of the Virginia Synod att
an annual meeting Of the Synod
Wednesday in Roanoke, Va.
William G. Reamy. secretary oil
The church council. win be the lay
delegate to the convention. The
Rev. Everett ]. Jensen Is the mis-
ion's organizer.
Evening star., 1952-02-02

ice to be held in Emmanuel
Church.
The Rev. y. Jaqueli1 Amber,
rector Of the church, win present
Mr.. Speier for ordination. TWO
seniors at the seminary, James 7
Tucker, OF the Texas diocese. and
Philip e. Wheaton. Of the Mime
sofa diocese, also win take part. A
coffee hour will follow In the par
|isia hall.
Mi. Speier, n. Of Nashville,
Tenn, is q graduate Of Wander
bilt University there. He has done
part-time mission work In the
wyoming district. and plans tore
turn there after graduation.
Mr.. Speier and his wife, the for
|mer Miss Betty Marshall, also Of
Nashville. live at 3125 Ravens
worth place, Alexandria.
Evening star., 1952-02-02
chapIains Of Dorchester
To Be Honored by Legion

The anniversary Of the death
OF four American chaplains aboard
the u. s. Transport Dorchester
will be observed tomorrow with
a massing Of the Colors at Mount
Olivet Methodist Church. Six
teenth and North Glebe road
Arlington.
The General Billy Mitchell Post
No. S5 and Auxiliary and other
American Legion posts Of Airing
ton County win hold the service
at ii am.
The Rev. A. G. Lynch, pastor
of Mount Olivet Church, will
preach.
The Dorchester was torpedoed
in the North Atlantic in l943.
Evening star., 1952-02-02
Mrs. Sunday to Speak

Mrs. William A. Sunday. widow
|of Evangelist Billy Sunday, win
speak at 7:45 pm. tomorrow at the
Central Union Mission, 6lS G
street NV.