CEASE-FIRE: After the Deadline

The hope was that the 30-day time limit would hurry peace along. That was why, on Nov. 27, the U.N.-Communist negotiators at Panmunjom had established a tentative cease-fire line, based on the battlefront, valid for 30 days. Last week the deadline passed. Still there was no peace in Korea, and only spasmodic war.

Theoretically, North Korean territory was again up for grabs. But the Eighth Army's James Van Fleet squelched all thought of a U.N. offensive: "We will not sacrifice our men needlessly. What is the use of thousands of casualties if it is questionable what good they will do?"

By avoiding major attacks, both sides were hanging on to the nonexistent ceasefire line by tacit consent. Washington authorized General Ridgway to continue the deadline for 15 days if the Communists requested it. They did not ask; but it looked as if they would have it without asking.