REPUBLIC OF KOREA
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
August 1st, 1952.
Dear Doc:
MMe. has received your letter, I have also raised the subject, and I believe that she responded very favorably to the proposal. She said that she would raise the matter of my disposition with the Boss herself and should get the final answer as soon as she can find a good, quiet, opportune moment. For which I am very grateful!
In answer to some of your questions on the new bicameral system, I have gleaned the following: The present house will remain, with new one being organized on an election basis after the presidential election. The details are ell missing and have yet to be legislated -- the amendments merely having had set up the general framework. The now house will be the upper house, with the Assembly introducing the money bills, etc., like in our own House of Representatives. In the case of a deadlock, the two houses meet in joint session, and the majority of the votes will bypass the deadlock. The Vice-President will preside as Chairman of the Senate. The new Senators are to be elected by open, popular balloting -- whatever that means -- throughout the country (the basis is not yet defined.)
Spent the morning today with Margaret Bourke-White of LIFE shooting the P. in every possible way and emphasizing the human element as much as possible -- playing with the dogs, pushing the lawn-mower, practicing his calligraphy, etc. A hope exists that the treatment will get a full spread in a forthcoming issue.
Chang Taik-Sang is touring the country to campaign for the P., but is actually spending most of his time taking cracks at Lee BS; Chang feels that Lee must be eliminated for the good of the country -- and so that he (Chang) the NO. 1 Power in the event of SMR’s death. The VP race is actually very amusing. Seven of the candidates are supporters of the P., and of the seven, each claims to be the closest to the P. They besiege the poor P. continuously to have him come out and say who he prefers as a running mate. I have advised against any endoursement, and so far he himself has resisted all the pressures. The net effect may be that the more rightest supporters running for VP will cancel each other’s strength out. I shouldn’t be suprised of Yi Yun Yong, Minister without portfolio and a north Korean, sneaked through to victory over Lee BS and Louise, etc. Part of psychology of the many candidates for VP is the belief that the poll will reveal their popular strength and support, thus enabling them to use their relative standings as proof when asking for Cabinet posts when the new Cabinet is formed ... this is just my own analysis.
The Democratic convention was fascinating listening, but a foregone conclusion, I still have high hopes for an Eisenhower victory. As friends of Korea, I think that we must help him evaluate and properly argue the Korean issue. Perhaps if we help them with evidence on this point, they will be more faforably disposed to a genuine, active Korean policy once they get into office.
Hot, Sticky, but Still Aliv