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+f (=) svarng ‘D. 5. News end World Report, admonished Its reader: Just keep this point Sn the ack of your minds. A peace offensive can break out! Peace iz Russia’s Propaganda gaine. Peace moves by Russia, rfgit now, could embanas U.S. They would get much support in a world fearful of big war . . . Of course, if a real “peace scare™ should now develop, watch out... the boom would crack. A similar ansiety over the chance of peace was fe in top army circles. As Holmes Alexander reported in bis syn- dicated cchmn: Military chiefs dread even the remote possibility of mediation in Korea... They need an extensive petiod in that bloody peninsula in or r to pyramid what is realis- tically called “bodies and guns.” Pentagon chiefs know that the more men in Korea, the more men and weapons Congress will authorize for services elsewhere... . War- mongering may now be called the almost official Pen- tagon policy. Nor were high-ranking members of the U. 5. Covernment disregarding the danger of » “peace offensive.” 4, COUNTER-OFFENSIVE ‘ Soon aren the outbreak of the Korean war, confidentia! letters were dispatched from the U. S. State Department to a number of carefully selected individuals in different parts of the United States. I chanced to see one of these communications. Signed by Francis H- Witssell, Director of Office of Public Affairs, the letter had been sent to the president of a West Coast bank.: Russell informed the banker that the State Department was holding private . ..f aii) a Sk nage enlisting by the thousands in the worldwide crusnde to avert peace committees and tade unions, organizations of women, youth, veterans, parents and students pledged themselves to collect signatures on the Appeal. Prominent churchmen, scientists, writers, jurists and educators en- dorsed the Appeal and urged others to sign.* In a letter informing the Peace Information Center of their intention to collect 50,000 siguatures, tacmbers of the Pension Union in Washington State wrote: “Of course, we are old people, but we want to see the state we helped build stay green and beautifu) and not be tumed into a bleak Nagasaki.” Almost one million Americans had signed the World Peace Appeal by the fateful last week of June, when smouldering international tensions famed inta war in Korea and the armed forces of the United States were committed on the side of the Syngman Rhee regime. And during the dark and perilous days that followed, as a ‘third world war seemed ever more imminent, Americans added their signatures by the tens of thousands in an impassioned expression of their resolve to maintain peace. Thete were, however, powerful iiterests in America which regarded not war but peace as a dread menace. On August 4, with corporation profits from war orders ® Among the soted Americans elaning the Appeal were Bishop Arthor W. Moulton of Utah: Blahop Sherman L. Greene of Alabama; Juttican Jame BH. Wolfe of the Bupreme (Court ef Dteh- oxenposeer Duke Edington; nucleer physicist, Dr, Philip Morrison : Fred Stover, President of the lows Farmers Union; Pax] Roberson: EmJly Greene Balch Nobel "Prise winner; and Dr. Anton Carlson of the University of Chirarn.