Evening star., 1953-06-05
Hopes Soaring
For Early End
.0fKorean War
Agreement Could
Be Reached at
Session Tonight
By me Assoeloted Press

SEOUL, June 5.-The end OF
the Korean fighting appeared
close today. A fateful truce meet
ing tomorrow could almost write
an end to three years of war
and death.
The Communists we're reported
to have submitted terms so close
to those of the United Nations
Command that an armistice
might be signed by June 25, third
anniversary of this war that al
ready has taken an awesome toll.
Minor details must be ironed
out. but peace fever" was in
the air here as well as other
allied capitals.
Even the Reds were feeling it
Communist front-line loud
speakers broadcast warnings to
allied troops: Don't stick your
heads out. There will be truce
in a few days."
South Korea DisSentS Bitterly.
A high United States ofiicial in
Tokyo said an agreement to ex-
change prisoners likely will be
signed tomorrow. However, a
truce could not be signed before
next week, he added.
Allied and Red negotiatorS
meet in the tiny hut in Pan
munjom Saturday at II am.
90 pm. Friday EDIT.
However, there was one jarr-
ing and bitter dissent to the
optimism. President Syngman
Rhee's South Korean govern
ment stubbornly opposed the
truce terms although Mr.. Rhee
has said he would cooperate "at
any cost" with the United States.
Gen. Mark Clark. U. N. Far
East commander, few to Seoul
from his Tokyo headquarters and
conferred with Mr.. Rhee. pos
sibly in an eleventh-hour at
tempt to overcome the opposi.
ton of the aging, but fiery, pres
ident.
Rhee Reported Displeased.
They talked for an hour but
there was no announcement
after the meeting. Pyun Yung
Tai. South Korea's acting Prime
Minister, and, United States Am
bassador Ellis o. Briggs were also
present.
Gen. Clark flew back to
Tokyo after the conference. He
refused comment.
However, source close to the
South Korean government said
the meeting was not satisfactory
to Mr.. Rhee.
Meanwhile. the South Korean
government said it will make
public tomorrow its counterplan
for a Korean truce.
II said the plan was presented
to President Eisenhower several
days ago. Government sources
said it was connected with an
earlier four-point Rhee demand
which asked:
A mutual security pact between
the United States and South Ko-
rea, an increase of United States
economic and military aid, with
drawal of Chinese and U. N.
forces after a truce and q pledge
the United States or u. N. would
not attempt to stop South Korea
in any attempt to unity the
country.
Plans Called COwardly.
South Korea's bitter opposi-
ton to the u. N. proposal was
pointed up by Mr.. Pyun in a
heated attack. He said angrily
in an interview:
II have never come across
more diShonorable-and more
cowardly-plans. We are greatly
disguised with such an igno-
minious truce"
He said war prisoners who re-
fuse to return to communism
would commit suicide in dis
gust"
The violent South Korean op-
position has worried allied
leaders. The South Koreans
have threatened to continue the
fight if an armistice is signed
on the present proposal and
Mr.. Pyun predicted bloodshed if
some of its terms are enforced.
Gen. Clark met earlier with
1t. Gen. William K. Harrison.
chief allied armistice delegate.
and 1t. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor,
9Th Army commander.
He also conferred with Mai.
Gen. Thomas Herren, comman-
der of the Korean communica.