Evening star., 1953-07-10
Dr.. Rhee Stands Firm-ond Not Alone
To the Editor Of The Stor:

~ tUS 6OutOb VI WG
Your Fourth of July cartoon depict
ing Syngman Rhee in three roles play
ing the fife and both drums in the
famous Spirit of '76 picture was ex-
cellent. Although you probably meant
1t as dig at Rhee. it is in reality
bitingly truthful commentary on the
Spirit Of 1853.
For with the dearth Of heroes in
the world today. who else but Rhee
could your cartooniSt designate to fill
the shoes of our American Revolu-
tionary patriots? Surely. not the west
ern statesmen" who yearn for meet
ing with the murderers in the Kremlin
while the spiritual offspring of our
American patriots hurl rocks at the
Kremlin's tanks.
nominate as fit companions to play
the drums to Rhee's fife, the unknown
German and the unknown Pole who
sparked the uprisingS behind the Iron
Curtain The tune played by this free
dom-lov1ng trio is so strikingly similar
to Yankee Doodle" it cannot help but
arouse the dormant Spirit Of America.
1853.
David Keyser.
To one who was reared in the tradi-
tions Of the Spirit of 1776, it was indeed
surprising to find in The Star on the
anniversary Of our own independence
an editorial in which DR.. Syngman
Rhee, truly outstanding patriot, was
referred to as sort of historical phe-
nomenon" and in which it was suggested
that ne is likely to find the American
people criticizing him as q stubborn
old man who has let his emotions carry
him beyond the bounds of propriety
and who has permitted his personal
valor to grow tragically quixotic--il-
logical, unrealistic, bordering on the
irrational"
America once had a fearless patriot
who had the courage to say: II know
not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty or give me
DEATH" There may have been those
who made just such criticisms of him
as the writer of the editorial suggests
may be made of DIR. Rhee, but II so,
their names have long since been for
gotten, while the annals of American
history will always keep alive the
memory Of Patrick Henry and others
OF that same indomitable spirit who
refused to make a reasonable COM
promise with the hard realities"
E Pluribus Unum.
What does The Star mean-"the ex-
traordinary Mr.. Rhee"?
Have courage and patriotism really
become extraordinary?
That realistic old gentleman sees the
most powerful country on earth being
led by the U. N. down the path of ma
tional infamy, and he remembers Yalta
and Potsdam, and will, if he can, save
his country from the fate of Poland
and the rest of Middle Europe.
If he succeeds, we will have him to
thank that we are not disgraced as
well as defeated in Korea.
AS one of 155 100000 citizens of a ma
ton dedicated to free speech, I am an
noyed by those Washington oficials who
are disturbed by the TV appeal of
Syngman Rhee for American support
of his views and his stand. Rhee has q
right to be heard.
With all due respect to the President,
and in full acknowledgment of his de-
sire to save American blood, I differ
with his Korean proposals for several
reasons
American honor is at stake, not only
in the East with its addiction to face
saving" but everywhere in the world,
particularly where small nations must
look to big ones for fair dealing.
A truce in Korea now would permit
Russia to divert the sizeable volume of
military supplies she has been sending
to Asia to troubled areas now erupting
in the satellite areas of Europe.
If, against these situations, the ad-
ministration knows something that has
not even been intimated to the public,
1t should inform the people, most of
whom are fully as capable Of philosoph-
ical decisions as any member Of the
Government.
"ScOOp" Shutz.
If there is anything worse for de-
mocracy than secret diplomacy, what
can it be? Did not the evils of Yalta,
Potsdam and Teheran, to say nothing
of the negotiations which led America
into World War II, stem from the idea
that in foreign affairs or diplomacy,
the politician, specifically the Ameri-
can President and his Department of
State or other representative, is respon-
sible to no one but himself and there
fore may properly shroud his opera
tionS with secrecy and so make agree
ments even in violation of our Con-
stitution without let or hindrance?
The Eisenhower administration took
Office under pretense that it would
"do something about Korea" and do
it openly and above board. The first
thing it has done is to clamp secrecy
down on the terms of the long
protracted truce negotiations. and
publicize its own letters to Syngman
Rhee without publishing his. Ameri-
can citizens do not know the terms
of the proposed truce; President Rhee
does, and objects to them. There is