The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 11, 1951, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE " “ALL TLE NEWS ALL THE TIME™ VOL. LXXVI, NO. 11,781 JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, 1951 MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS £ ) PRICE TEN CENTS GEN. MACARTHUR IS FIRED BY TRUMAN 8 KILLED INCRASH, LADD BASE FAIRBANKS, Alaska, April 11— (P—A routine attempt to pick up a .glider at Ladd Air Force Base | ended in the Iiery crash of a low- flying four-mnotored T-54 transport plane With a cost i eight lives yes- [terday. The Air Force transport plane ex- ploded and burst into flames after striking a runway. Black smoke from | the crashed plane could be seen | five miles away. Witnesses said flames swallowed | the crashed plane from tail to en- gines inside a minute after it hit the ground with its eight-man crew. Names of the victims were with- held pending notification of next of kin. Three names released by the | Air Force late yesterday were or- | dered withdrawn after publication and broadcast. No reason was given. | The names of the three of the | eight victims which were released | were: Capt. George H. Wood, pilot, 230 | Aberdeen Ave., Battle Creek, Mich. He left a widow in Fairbanks. Capt. Bernard W. Stark, na 4 gator, 246 South Arlington Ave., East Orange, N. J. Staff Sgt. George W, Hollister, | crew chief, 510 North D street, Her- | ington, Kas, widow and child, Susan, 6, in Fairbanks. 18 MORERED DIVISIONS INTO KOREA WASHINGTON, April 11 —(&— Eighteen new Chinese Communist divisions have been identified in Korea, bringing the total enemy | strength there to 695,000, the Army | reported today. A spokesman said ‘97,000 addi- ‘tional Chinese troops have been identified since last Friday. The 18 divisions, if at full strength, would total 180,000 men, the Army said. It said some of them started com- ing into Korea from Manchuria April 3. The overall enemy strength was | shown as being made up of 212,000 ; North Korean regulars, 470,000 Chi- | nese Communist troops and 13,000 guerrillas, Bank Statements Are (alied Fo WASHINGTON, April 11, The comptroller of the currency | today issued a call for a statement | of the condition of all National Banks at the close of business Apnl —(p— The Was:hington' Merry - Go- Round | By DREW PEARSON (Copyright, 1951, oy Bell Syndicate, Inc., ASHINGTON.—At two cabinet meetings in the past three weeks, General MacArthur's unauthorized | policy statements have come in for important, even heated discussion. Most heated debate was not last week but immediately after Mac- Arthur’s pre-Easter statement of | March 24, in which he proposed & peace meeting with Chinese mili- tary commanders. At this cabinet meeting the Pres- ident remarked that he was sorry he hadn't fired 'MacArthur last summer—following his out-of-line | statement to the Veterans of For- eign Wars. What aroused the | President’s heat just before Easter | was that MacArthur's peace state- | ment was 6ne which Truman him- | self was planning to make. What happened was that the joint chiefs of staff had cabled | MacArthur, for his perusal and personal reaction, a copy of an Easter appeal for peace which the state department had already dis- r late Engrebreth AsDelegate To Congress ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11 — (#— The Anchorage Times says there is a growing Republican move- | ment for the nomination of Sen. | Gunnard Engebreth of Anchorage as the GOP nominee for delegate to Congress. Engebreth was president of the Territorial session in both ghe 1949 jand 1951 sessions. The paper said Engebreth had no comment to make on the reports. LIngebreth frequently crossed | puriy lines in the recent se: n to | vote with the majority of the Demo- crats and two other Republicans— | Anita Garnick of Juneau and Percy | Ipalook of Kotzebue, says the Times. e also was the outspoken critic of Albert White of Juneau, the Republican party general counsel in | Alaska. Engebreth called him “Boss White” and White fired back that he didn’t consider Engebreth a Re- publican. The Times said support for Enge- |breth is among “Liberal” members oi the party 'UNDERWORLD LEADER DIES INFLORIDA l MIAMI BEACH, Fla., April 11 — | (M—Charles Fischetti, 50, one of the |leaders of America’s underworld, | died early today at his luxurious ' Miami Beach home. A doctor who had been attend- | ing Fischetti for four days said that | death was caused by a heart attack. | He said there was no doubt it re- ;sulf.ed from natural causes. { Fischetti and his brother, Rocco, surrendered nine days ago to the sergeant-at-arms of the U. S. Sen- | ate after Federal agents had sought them many months to serve them with U. S. Senate Crime Investigat- | ‘ing Committee subpoenaes. ! Senator Tobey (R-NH), a mem- ber of the Kefauver committee, pressed for reopening of the crime | probe the day the Fischettis sur-[ rendered. Tobey said at the time |that “they are Kkingpins in the {gambling world and would con- wmbute a lot of information.” Charles Fischetti was described | by the Kefauver committee as one of seven overlords who ruled Amer- {ica’s underworld on the basis of {strict efficiency and business with {an annual $20,000,000,000 take, i Fischetti was a cousin of the late | Al Capone and had been associated | with the Capone outfit since the 1920s. He once served as Ca- < pone's chauffer. 2MOTIONS, ANTI-TRUST CASE, OUT | ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11— | P— Federal Judge Anthony Di- { mond has denied two defense mo- tions in the anti-trust trial against | Anchorage taxicab operators. Defense Atty. William Renfrew had asked dismissal of charges | against R. C. Milligan, one of the owners of the Star and Gray Cab | companies. | Renfrew also asked for acquittal | of all defendants, contending there | Was a lack of sufficient evidence. i Defense Starts Today, the seventh day of the trial, the defense was to open its | side of the case. Final government witness late yesterday was Attorney | Peter Kalamirides of the Inter-Post Cab Co. Defense attorneys spent much \nme yesterday arguing over intro- duction of copies of documents taken from voluminous military files concerning taxicab operations at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson. | oOne of the government's mam l | 1 l (Continued on ;age Four) “(Continued on Page Two) Huntley for |MacARTHUR U.S. Marshal TO APPEAR, 3rd Division, CONGRESS ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11— (M— Walter Huntley, Territorial Senator of Palmer has won en- dorsement of the Democratic Di- visional committee for appointment as Third Division U. S. Marshal, the Anchorage Times reports. The endorsement has been for- warded to Washington, D. C, whence appointment is expected shortly. Huntley would succeed Paul Herring. Unofficial reports indicated that Huntley polled 12 votes and Walter lAgrees fo Foposal Made by Senator Wherry-"De- lighted, Honored” WASHINGTON, April 11 —P— Senator Wherry (R-Neb) says Gen. Douglas MacArthur agreed in a telephone conversation with him today to appear at a joint session of Congress and discuss his dismis- sal by President Truman. Wherry said he would introduce Mickens was second with 7. Thel|, resolution today asking a joint rest of the committee's 23 votes were scattered among former An- chorage police chief Charles Sto- well, police Capt. and highway patrolman Charles J. Davis, the Times reported. SELECTIVE SERVICE|:" EASES OFF ON MAY| ™ ™ MILITARY INDUCTIO WASHINGTON, April 11 —®— Selective Service advised the na- tion’s draft boards today to delay temporarily the inductions that had been plunned for May. Draft Director Lewis B. Hershey sent telegrams to state directors asking them to hold off until it can be determined whether there will be any readjustments of the May quotas. A Selective Service spokesman said the delay will prevent regis- trants from quitting their jobs, sell- ing their homes and taking other drastic action while there is still a chance they may not be called up for immediate service. The May quota still standsat 60,000. §53 PER DAY JOB, : NO WORK; FORMER : GA. GOV. QUITS By Associated Press Former Governor M. E. Thomp- son of Georgia quit a $53-a-day government job last night after be- ing in Washington for 12 weeks without doing a thing. He accused the Truman Administration of con- fusion, inefficiency and waste . . and protested he couldn’t go on be- ing a parasite on the American tax- ! payers, IREV. GALLANT WILL DISCUSS ALUMINUM { 1 office session of the Senate and House to hear MacArthur. Such a move would require sup- Joseph MorTis | porg of at least some of the Demo- crats who now control the Senate and Houu. erry quoted MacArthur as saying he would be “delighted and honored” to return here to appear TERRIFIC UPROAR WASHINGTON, April 11 —®— Republican leaders of Congress were trying today to reach Gen. Douglas MacArthur by telephone, and one said “we are discussing everything from impeachment on down” be- cause of President Truman's re- moval of the Far Eastern com- mander. Senator Bridges (R-NH) that statement to reporters. It was plain Mr. Truman's action had set off a terrific uproar and a possible new ‘great. debate” over foreign policy was in the making— one to have far reaching political repercussions. Discuss Removal Republican leaders from both | House and Senate gathered in the of House Leader Martin made { (Mass) to talk over the situation. Jl attending Know- Smith Among the senators were Bridges, Taft (Ohio), and (Calif), Wiley (Wis), (NJ), and Wherry (Neb). The Republicans used such phrases as “tragic error” and “the forerunner of a Far Eastern Mu- nich” in commenting to reporters on the MacArthur removal. Demos Support Truman By and large, Democrats were lining up in support of Mr, Truman, though some were frankly unhappy over what they termed the necessity for his action. Chairman Vinson (D-Ga) of the | House Armed Services Committee got out a statement saying the President has his “full support.” He called the matter a “test of ci- vilian control over the military” and said of MacArthur’s removal: “It is if anything long overdue.” House Republican Leader Martin failed in a move to force a recess of the House so Republican mem- jbers could caucus on what to do plAm AT (HAMBER about the MacArthur situation. A resume of his lmdmgs regard- ing a proposed aluminum plant near Skagway will be given by the ev. G. Edgar Gallant at the regular meeting of the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, F. O. Eas- taugh, secretary, announces. Father Gallant has recently re- turned from a trip in the East where he investigated the possi- bilities of the installation of such a plant. WEATHER REPORT Temperature for 24-Hour Period ending 6:20 o'clock this morning In Juneau — Maximum, 42; minimum, 36. At Airport — Maximum, 42; minimum, 33. FORECAST Variable cloudiness with occasional light showers to- night. Low temperature near 33 degrees. Partly cloudy Thursday. High tempera- ture around 47 degrees, PRECIPITATION (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today City of Juneau—1.32 inches; Since April 1 — 6.82 inches; Since July 1 — 64.75 inches. At Airport — .52 inches; Since April 1 — 236 inches. Since July 1 — 38.12 inches. ® 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 o TRUMAN DOES NOT LIKE RECORDINGS OF PRIVATE TALKS WASHINGTON, April 11 —®— | The White House says President Truman thinks it is “outrageous” that Senator Tobey (R-NH) has re- corded telephone conversations with the President. Congressional sources said that Tobey had told Senate investigators he made recordings of two telephone talks with Mr. Truman about the Reconstryction Finance Corporation investigation. Asked about this, White House Press Secretary Joseph Short said: “The President thinks that the recording of telephone conversations is outrageous.” Specifically, Short said Mr, Tru- man thinks Tobey’s recordings of his conversations is outrageous. “As to the recordings of these con- versations, as far as the President is concerned every word can be made public,” Short told reporters. ANCHORAGE VISITOR R. Il. Robinson of Anchorage ar- rived here Monday on PNA and is stopping at the Baranof Hotel. FROM DENVEFP Vernon J. Forney oi Denver is at the Baranof Rotel, BIG UPROAR OVER FIRING 'MacARTHUR Impeathmenf of Truman Is Suggested - Senate, House Actions Taken WASHINGTON, April 11 —(®— Congressional Republicans, angered by President Truman’s firing of Gen, Douglas MacArthur, talked of “possible impeachments” today and got the general's agreement to ad- dress a joint session of Senat,e and House, Senators Wherry of Nebraska and Rep. Martin of Massachusetts, the GOP floor leaders, talked to Mac- Arthur by trans-Pacific telephone. Martin announced to the House: “I am authorized to say that Gen- eral MacArthur would be delighted to have an invitation to speak to a joint session.” He added that Mac- Arthur “can be here in about three weeks.” Senator Objects Martin introduced a resolution calling for an invitation to Mac- Arthur to address Congress. Wherry, introducing an identical one in the Senate, asked unanimous consent for a vote on it today. Sen- ator, McFarland of Arizona, the Democratic leader, objected. Senator Nixon (R-Calif) a resolution of his own asking the Senate to go on record that Presi- dent Truman “has not acted in the | best interests of the American peo- ple” and should restore MacArthur to his command. Impeachment In a general Senate debate, Sen- ator Jenner (R-Ind) shouted a de- mand for Mr. Truman’s impeach- 'ment There was applause from the packed galleries. At one point there was a mild demonstration on the House floor for the general. Rep. Short (R-Mo) MacArthur’'s name among a long put in mentioned list of ‘other military and naval leaders. He was quoting from a five- |year—old speech. l Roar of Applause That set off a roar of applause among Republican members, Three or four Democrats, including Cox, joined ‘in the standing hand-clap- ping. Martin got mixed up in telling the ‘House of his telephone talk with MacArthur and referred to “Senator MacArthur,” When the Democrats laughed, Martin added: “He might be even higher later.” In times past, the general, now 71, has'been mentioned as a possi- | ble Republican presidential candi- | date.” » | Group in Huddle Before the House met, both Sen- ate and House GOP leaders huddled in Martin’s office. Afterwards, Martin issued a state- ment i 'which he said, among other things, that “the question of pos- sible'impeachments was discussed. Martin was asked about use of the plural “impeachments.” The 'plural was correct, Martin replied. Asked whether the subject of im- peachments applied to anyone in particular, Martin said it applied to anyone “who has transgressed.” Martin let it stand at that. Others Involved The plain implication, however, was they felt an impeachment move might be made against President Truman, Secretary of State Acheson {and possibly others in the Demo- cratic ‘administration. Impeachment is, in effect, trial for removal from office. HOISINGTON DISCHARGED TODAY FROM HOSPITAL Les Hoisington, injured early Tuesday morning in the car acci- dent that took the life of Bill Riley, leaves St. Ann's hospital today | greatly improved. He was the only one of the four men surviving the accident who needed hospitalization. Hoisington was kept under an oxy- gen tent for a while yesterday morning. STEAMER MOVEMENTS Denali scheduled to sail Seattle Friday. | Princess Louise scheduled to sail ! trom-Wancouver 8 p.m. Saturday. | Baranof from west scheduled southbound Sunday moraine. from Dismissal Explodes In Tokyo TOKYO, April 11 —®— It was just as if nothing had happened— but an era had ended. Some soldiers stood in front of the huge steel and concrete build- ing from which General MacArthur had ruled Japan for more than five years. They gazed idly through the rain into the gradens of Emperor Hirohito’s Imperial residence. A few curious sightseers clustered around the building, seeking shelter from the-rain. That was the scene when the news of MacArthur’s dismissal ex- vloded in Tokyo. It came first on the frantically clattering teletypes of U. S. news agencies. Then the Armed Forces radio station in Tokyo put it on the air, Like Bomb Blast It swept through Tokyo like a bomb blast. It reached out across the Sea of Japan to the Korean war front. Americans were shocked and dis- believing. Japanese were dismayed. British officials said they were sur- prised, and most refused comment. A Russian correspondent heard the news cheerfully. News Was “Flash” The news came to. the five star general in a small brown envelope with “flash” stamped on it in red letters, The envelope held the mes- sage from President Truman which probably ends MacArthur's long military career. In his first public appearance after the news reached him. Mac- Arthur gave no hint of*how he felt. Goes To Suite He heard it at lunch. At 5:20 p. m. he returned to his office. He stepped froth his long black automobile, sa- luted the guards at the doors and ) yac ot luncheon in his home, that | received the news “without turning walked into the elevator whisked him to his sixth floor suite. EISENHOWER GIVES OUT BRIEF VIEW COBLENZ, Germany, April 11 — (P— Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, visibly siirprised and concerned, ex- pressed the hope Gen. Douglas Mac- Arthur would not return to the United States and become a center of controversy and acrimony. Advised of President Truman’s action by a reporter, the Atlantic Pact_commander first showed sur- prise, and said “That's one you couldn’t expect me to comment on.” He shook his head and exclaimed, “I'll be.darned.” He resumed watching Army man- euvers for a few moments and then turned to reporters ang added: “I hope he (MacArthur) will not return to the United* States and become a controversial figure, I would not like to see acrimony de- velop.” SERVING PANCAKES TO PURCHASE PUP TENTS Boy Scouts of Troop 609 are sponsoring ‘a pancake supper to- morrow 'in the Methodist Church social room. The public is invited to attend. With the proceeds of the dinner the boys hope to purchase pup tents, a much needed equipment for their summer outings. STOCK QUGTATIONS NEW YORK, April 11 — Closing quotation of Alaska Juneau mine stock today is 2%, American Can 109, American Tel. and Tel. 153%, Anaconda 39%, Douglas Aircraft 99%, General Electric 55, General Motors 52%, Goodyear 46%, Kenne- cott 73, Libby, McNeill and Libby 9%, Northern Pacific 36%, Stand- ard Oil of California 45%, Twen- tieth Century Fox 20%, U. S. Steel 42%, Pound $2.80%, Canadian Ex- change 94.43%. Sales today were 1,420,000 shares. Averages today were as follows: Industrials 24976, ralls 8159, utili- ties 4287, i \ WORLD WAR Il HERO IS RELIEVED OF COMMAND; RIDGWAY TAKING OVER; CRITICISM IS EXPRESSED General MacArthur was fired to- day from his Tokyo command. President Truman took the drastic action on the ground that the 71- year-old hero of World War II had demonstrated inability to give wholehearted support to United States and United Nations objec- tives in the Far East. The ouster brought angry criticism from MacArthur’s supporters, “This action can bring great tragedy tc our country,” former Presiden: Hoover said. “It does not solve the primary question of how to end out war with Communist China withou’ advantage to Soviet Russia. £ strong pillar in our Asian defense has been removed.” Republican leaders in Congres: were trying to reach General Mac- Arthur by telephone, Sen. Bridge: (R-NH) said “We are discussing everything from impeachment o down.” Some Slight Relief On the other hand, there werc expressions of relief from some lead- ing Democrats and from British anc other officials abroad. These offic ials expressed belief the way wa: open now for new efforts to end the war in Korea. At London Forelgn Secretary Her- bert Morrison said Britain is now ready to negotiate a cease fire ir Korea but the “other side” so fal had shown no desire to stop the hos: tilities, MacArthur Gets Word The White House announcemen came at 1 am., EST. That was early afternoon in Tokyo, and MacArthui He a hair,” an aide said. MacArthur had wanted to expanc the war to include direct attack: on Red China. He sought to use the Formosa troops of Chiang Kai-Shek to open a second front. Both thest stands ran counter to administratior policy. President Truman’s actior in effect affirmed this policy—tc try to keep the war limited to Kore: and to treat Europe, instead of Asit as MacArthur wanted, as the ex- pected area of decision againsi Soviet Communism. Ridgway Takes Over Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway wil' take over the four-fold command MacArthur held at Tokyo — Su- preme Allied Occupation Command- er in Japan, UN Commander in Chief for Korea, U, S. Commander in Chief for the Far East, Com- manding General of the U. 8. Army in the Far East. Ridgway has been commanding the U. S. Eighth Army in Korea. Lt. UNFORCES INDRIVEIN RED KOREA By Associated Press United Nations forces continued their drive ‘into Red Korea today outwardly unstirred by the moment- ous suprerne command shakeup un- der which President Truman fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Many of the fighting men in the battle lines did not know at a late hour Wednesday that Truman had fired MacArthur. At the time of the great shift in top command this was the mili- tary situation in Korea: Military Situation South Korea was virtually free of Communist troops. The last major pocket of Reds was holding out west of the Imjin River on the extreme Western front. On the Central front! American troops drove along the southern shores of Hwachon Reservoir to- ward the big dam and power grid. Censorship veiled their progress. Red Base Wiped Out Allied air and artillery barrages wiped out the key Chinese base of Chorwon on the Western front ACominued on Page Two) Gen. James A. Van Fleet will suc+ ceed to that post. Cause for Dismissal Two MacArthur statements led directly to the dismissal. The first was the general's March 20 letter to Rep. Martin, Massachusetts Re- publican, supporting Martin's idea for using Chaing'’s troops and add- ing the view that Asia was the vital theater of war against Communism. The second was MacArthur’s an- nouncement of March 24 in which he sought to talk peace directly in the field with the Red Chinese com+ mander; this action led to scrap- sing of plans for another statement by the 14 UN nations having férces n Korea. In addition, the White House made oublic secret messages showing Mac- Arthur had been reminded of di- rectives, that statements on policy nust be cleared with Washington. Tragic Error Says Taft There were indications in Wash- ngton that congressional supporters »f MacArthur would insist he now be called in to testify on his views. 3enator Taft of Ohlo, chairman of he Senate Republican Policy Com- nittee, said President Truman made 1 tragic error in figing MacArthur. “The decision tes a determ~ ination to continue the wavering, nainless course in the Far East and »oints to either a stalemate in Korea ir to ignominjus concessions to the Thinese " Comttianists Tafy isdid: Senator Knowland, California Re- »ublican, saw the ouster as the fore- runner to a Far Easiern Munich. 3enator Wherry of Nebraska, Re- blican floor leader, contended the majority of Americans back Mac= Arthur. Britain Pieased, Of Course There were expressions of. relief ‘n Britain, whose officials had voic- »d concern to Washington ovet MacArthur’s statements, Several British leaders had sald MacArthur overstepped himself, as a military sommander, in issuing statements they regarded as political. First available editorial reaction in Lon- ion was that President Truman had shown courage in dismissing & man “who had become a menace 0 Allied unity.” That was the view= point of the London Star (Liberalj. Russians Happy A former chief of staff of the rman Army, Heinz Guderian, iaid the ouster would make the Rus- sians happy. There was no immed- iate comment from Soviet Russia, but western diplomats in Moscow expressed belief the chances for a Korean peace unlement was in- creased, Formosa Stunned And in Formosa Chidng Kal- Shek’s stronghold, officials saw the action as a stunning blow. MacAr- thur was their leading advocate of U. 8. aid for striking back against Red China. At the UN headquarters, South Korean spokesmen made no public comment, but left no doubt in pri- vate conversations that they were unhappy. Most of ‘the official re- action at the UN was. that this was a United States matter, since the leadership of the unified command in Korea had been left to Washing- ton. Nonetheless, some of the UN delegations could not disguise their satisfaction at the action taken. There was similar reaction from India, which has sought to be a go- between in negotiations with Peip- ing. Officials at New Delhi express- ed belief the way now was open to a renewal of diplomatic efforts to end the war, despite the fact the Red Chinese have rebuffed UN ef- forts. Truman On Air Tonight WASHINGTON, April 11 —#— President Truman will address the nation by radio at 7:30 (PST) te= night on U. S. policy in the Far East.,