install error on redhat 5.2

[Matthew Gabeler-Lee <msg2@po.cwru.edu>]

I just tried to compile/install xwpe-alpha 1.5.15a on my redhat
system...
# ./configure --prefix=/usr --with-x
<configure goes fine>
# make
<blah blah blah make goes fine>
# make install
if test ! -d /usr/bin; then  mkdir /usr/bin; fi
if test ! -d /usr/lib; then  mkdir /usr/lib; fi
if test ! -d /usr/lib/xwpe; then  mkdir /usr/lib/xwpe; fi
rm -f /usr/bin/wpe /usr/bin/xwpe /usr/bin/we /usr/bin/xwe
cp xwpe /usr/bin/we
chmod ugo+x /usr/bin/we
(cd /usr/bin && @LN_S@ we xwe)
/bin/sh: @LN_S@: command not found
make: *** [install_fst] Error 127
eeek
now, I went and looked in the makefile, and found this line near the
top:
LN_S=   @LN_S@
seems rather strange, as if configure didn't fill in the variable
correctly...
now, I'm guessing that LN_S is supposed to fill out to be ln -s, yes?
should I consider it safe to change that line in the makefile and keep
going?