Evening star., 1953-06-07
Problems Of q Truce
By Crosby S. Moves

By Crosby S. Noyes
Truce in Korea, if and when
it comes. will plunge the Eisen-
hover administration into a fight
to stick to it's guns in the larger
cold-war struggle.
The battle will be fought at
home and abroad. Administra-
ton strategiSts know that VIM
ming it will call for all the tao
tical skill and political fortitude
they can muster. They know that
losing it would turn a Korean
truce into something perilously
close to complete victory for the
Communist cause.
The reason for the crisis is
simple: The Korean war; for
all its bitterness. has provided
much of the emotional drive be-
hind the effort to build strength
in the free world. 1t has sup
piled a major share of the ce-
ment for collective action be-
tween the United States and its
allies.
Outbreak Reversed Trend.
The outbreak of the Korean
war in 1850 reversed almost over
night the precipitous trend to-
ward military weakness, and
galvanized the Western nations
into violent action. Ever since.
it has served as the outward
|fand visible sign of the Com
munist menace. It has been the
chief obstacle to WiShful think
ing about Russia's peaceful in
tentions. 1t has provided the
most irrefutable argument
against economy-minded critics
of our defense program.
The prospect of peace in
1Koga confronts the administra-
tioH with the prospect of a tre-
mendous psychological reaction.
It's impact will be felt immedi-
ately in the most sensitive and
critical areas of Government
policy. Specifically. it will put
the administration on the spot
on the question of taxes, defense
and foreign aid. 1t can be ex-
pected to precipitate new con-
f1icts with our allies, increase
pressure for a meeting with the
Russians and encourage a fur
ther streach-out in the European
rearmament program.
On all these points, the Eisen-
hover administration is expected
to try to hold the line. The
theme will be plugged that the
end of the shooting does not
mean that either we or our allies
can afford to relax. Already, cd
ministration leaders are busy
pointing out that peace in Korea
will make no appreciable dent in
the Government spending pro-
gram for the coming year or its
need for revenue.
Savings Will Be Limited.
The facts, certainly, are on
their side. Present estimates
indicate that a cease-fire in
Korea would save a good deal
less than the $5 billion-a-year
cost of the shooting war. For
the next year. at least; it. would
mean little reduction in the size
and strength of the American
forces stationed in the Far East.
Savings would be limited to the
cost of expended ammunition
and destroyed war material.
Stacked. against an estimated
budget deficit of $6.6 billion they
would hardly add up to a solu-
ton of the Governments fl
nancial problems.
How successful these argu-
ments will be, however. is open
to doubt. The administration is
already under heavy fire from
economy-minded Republicans in
Congress and its tax program is
in grave jeopardy.
In spite of confident talk from
House Speaker Martin about the
extension of the excess profits
tax. no solution has heen found
to break the opposition to the
measure in the House Ways and
Means Committee or soften the
stand of its chairman. Repre-
sentative Reed of New York. A
truce in Korea would inevitably
strengthen chanches that. de-
spite anything the administra-
ton may do. the excess profits
tax will be allowed to die nat
ural death. If that happens. the
cry for cuts in personal income
taxes will follow close behind.
If the tax line is broken. the
defense line is in real trouble.
Strangely enough. the immedi-
ate effect of a Korean truce
would he helpful to the admins
tration in its fight to trim SIS
billion off the Air Force kitty for
the coming year. There, the op-
position has come from air.
minded CongresSmen who feel
the cuts would endanger the ma
tional security. The end of hos
tilities would certainly weaken
their arguments and clear the
road for the administrations
plan.
: The future implications. how
ever, are obvious: II the admin
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