Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-07-29
Rhee Calls China Key to the Future

IRhee Calls {
Following Is the teri OF the
address of President Syngman
Rtee of the Republic of Korea
to the Congress OF the United
States.
I prize this opportunity OF
speaking to this august body OF
distinguished citizens Of the
United States.
You have done me great honor
by assembling in this historic
chamber. shall try to recipro-
cate in the only way ] can-by
telling you honestly what is in
my mind and heart. That is
part Of the great tradition Of
American democracy and free
government. and it is a tradi-
ton that have believed in for
more than half q century. Like
you, ! have been inspired by
Washington. Jefferson. and Lin
coin. Like you ] have pledged
myself to defend and perpetu-
ate the freedom your illustrious
forefathers sought for all men.
want first of all to express
the unbounded appreciation OF
Korea and Koreans for what you
and the American people have
done. You saved a helpless
country from destruction. and
in that moment the torch OF
true collective security burned
brightly as it never had before.
The aid you have given us n
nancially. militarily. and other
wise in defense of our battle
front and for the relief OF the
refugees and other suffering
people OF Korea is an unpay-
able debt of gratitude.
Recalls Presidents Visit.
We owe much also to former
President Truman whose mo-
mentous decision to send armed
forces to Korea saved us from
being driven into the sea. and
Gen. Eisenhower. the latter as
President-elect and now as Chief
Executive, for their help and
knowledge of the enemy peril.
The President-elect came to a
Korea which for 40 years had
been under a cruel Japanese
subjugation. Few foreign friends
had ever been permitted on our
soil. Yet here. for the first time
in history, because your military
might alone regained our free
dom. came the great man you
had chosen as President. He
came to see what could be done
to help the Koreans.
I cannot bear to pass this oc-
casion without mentioning our
deep and heartfelt thanks to the
American war mothers. We
thank them for sending their
sons, their husbands and their
brothers in the American Army
Navy and Air and Marine Corps
to Korea in our darkest hours
We shall never forget that from
our valleys and mountains the
souls of American and Korean
soldiers went up together to God
May the Almighty cherish them
as we cherish their memory.
Praises U. S. Generals.
Ladies and gentlemen Of the
Congress, these noble compatri-
OTIS of yours. had magnificent
leadership in Gems. Macarthur
Dean, Walker. Almond. Ridgway
| Clark, Hull and Taylor. Then
too, in 1851. Gen. Van Fleet ar
rived in Pusan to command the
9th Army. 1t was he who dis
covered the soldierly spirit OF the
Korean youths and their ferven1
desire for rifles with which tt
fight for their homes and the1l
nation. Without much ado. M
gathered them together in Chejl
fDo. Kwang Ju. Nonsan and othel
places and sent Korean military
advisory group officers to trair
them almost day and night
Within a few months they were
sent to the front line and they
performed marvels.
Today this army is known tt
| be the strongest anti-Commu'
mist force in all Asia. This force
is holding more than two-third'
of the entire front line. So Gen
Van Fleet is known in Korea al
the father of the Republic o.
Korea Army, the hard "ROKs'
as the GIs called them. Now, il
/ the United States could hell
build up this force. together with
the air and sea strength in ade.