261. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Korea0
247. For Ambassador Dowling from Acting Assistant Secretary Parsons. Deliver to President Rhee from Congressman Walter H. Judd following message: Verbatim Text.
“Dear Doctor Rhee: Profoundly disturbed by news stories in American papers reporting violent measures used by majority party in Korean National Assembly to jam through legislation professedly directed against Communists but which minority believes can and will be used to suppress minority and the press. Hesitated to believe these stories but in checking with my Government I find press reports essentially accurate.
“No one recognizes more than I the constant need to study and improve methods to expose and control Communist subversion. But it is hard to believe that if present bill will have no other result than to combat Communists more effectively, the bill would have met such opposition from those minority members of National Assembly who are as strongly anti-Communist as you and I.
[Page 526]“May I impose on our many years of association in fighting both Japanese and Communist tyrannies to report my conviction that the undemocratic measures employed in this instance may injure your position here and around the world more than the new law will injure the Communists. In fact such measures give the Communists just the kind of weapon they desire and can use effectively against your government.
“It would be reassuring and helpful to me and my colleagues if you could find some way by word or action to show that this bill will be used only against proven Communists and not against loyal Koreans in opposition party.
“Because I do not believe it advisable to send this message through public commercial channels, I am asking Department of State to transmit through its confidential means.
“Please accept assurances of my highest esteem and loyal personal support.
“Walter H. Judd”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 795B.21/12–2758. Confidential; Priority; Limit Distribution. Drafted by Judd, cleared by Howard Parsons and J. Graham Parsons. In telegram 246 to Seoul, December 27, for Dowling from J. Graham Parsons, Parsons indicated that Judd felt that it was not advisable to generate similar messages from other Congressmen to Rhee. Judd felt that to be successful, a message of concern to President Rhee would have to come from an old and close friend such as himself. (ibid.) See Supplement.↩