The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-06-22

/ EAO8CFSI, 01dl n u40OE At ILGdI
that he feels he is boss of all U. N
/ forces-including the 16 ROK divi-
sions. He said there is no question
that the R0K Army is under
my command"
! Asked if he thinks the ROK
troops loyal Clark replied with an
emphatic Yes"
! He was asked if he would sign
an armistice without advance ap-
proval by Rhee. He told newsmen
/ the armiStice is between the U.N.
commander and the Red Chinese
North Korean command. and said:
Il am authorized at the present
time to sign the armistice which
has been drawn up"
! Asked if Rhee would accept an
armistice that doesn't unity North
and South Korea, Clark smiled and
( answered:
Il hope so.
! The u N. commander said, "Hy-
pothetically "a trucel could
be obtained" even with South Ko-
rea opposing, but added:
Whether it is violated or not is
another thing"
| Asked if such a truce would be
useless, he answered:
1t would depend on the amount
of cooperation (by South Korea) "
| Clark described his talk with the
| fiery. 78-year-old South Korean
President as friendly and en-.
couraging'' and said tothp had
! agreed to use such a description.
/ The general said he did not out
line any new u. S. policy and
added that President Eisenhower s
offer to negotiate mutual secu-
rity pact with South Korea after a
truce had not been withdrawn.
He also said there was nothing
to a report he was given authority
by Washington to declare martial
law in South Korea if he felt it
necessary. Clark said he never had
considered such an action and re-
minded newsmen South Korea is a
sovereign state.
The Allied commander in chief
brought with him from Tokyo
former U. S. Ambassador to Japan
Robert Murphy, now Clark's civil
| ian diplomatic adviser on truce
matters.
| Murphy talked with U. S. Am
bassador to Korea Ellis o. Briggs
during the Clark Rhee meeting.
Clark said he received a new
letter from Rhee Just before leav-
ing Tokyo and that it covered
many subjects, but he would not
discuss it.
| Only a short time earlier, South
K0rea's Acting Prime Minister,
Pyun Yung Tai, told reporters his
country had given his troops to the
U,N. Command and could take
them back if it desired.
Pyun said there would be no
further mass releases of anti-Com-
munist North Korean prisoners if
the Allied command guaranteed
that no Indian troops or Commu-
mist brain washers" would enter
South Korea.
Under terms of the armistice
that awaits signing at Panmunjom
Indian troops would guard anti
Communist prisoners while in GUS
tody Of a five-nation repatriation
commission and Communist rep
/ resentatiyes would be permitted to
give explanations about return
TO North Korea or Red China.
New, but small and scattered
breakouts Of anti-Communist Ko-
rean prisoners were reported from
several U.N. camps.
They brought 10 n. 100 the num-
Der Of escapes.
Nearly 100 anti Communist Chi
nese prisoners escaped Monday
from a special Interrogation com.
pound at pusan. but we're quickly
rounded up BY South Korean police.
They were the first Chinese TO
break out and were easily spotted
in their prisoner uniforms and be-
cause they spoke no Korean.
Rhee will have an important
visitor shortly-Assistant Secretary
Of State Walter Robertson. who
was scheduled tosleave Washington
today by plane. II was presumed
Secretary Of State Dulles was send
ing a special message TO Rhee that
the II. S. is going ahead with truce
arrangements on terms already
worked out with the Reds.
And in Washington, II was re-
ported that Switzerland, India ard
Sweden have assured the L. s.
they are willing to serve on the
repatriation commission. Poland
and Czechoslova kaa are the other
l30 prospective members.
"a -