THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE
[T *3HX TIIE NEWS ALL THE TIMET _
t VOL. LXXVI., NO. 11,788
JUNEAU, ALASKA, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1951_
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRICE TEN CENTS
Mac Arthur Defends His Far Eastern Strategy
_■ ■ »■■
Lf. Gen. Van Fleet Takes Over
Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway, (left) new supreme commander Far East, and Lt. Gen. James A. Van
* Fleet, new Xth Army commander, salute the colors during a change over of commands in Korea (April
14). Kids way relinquished field command of the eighth army and flew to Tokyo where he replaced
1 Gen. Douglas MacArthur, displaced April 10 by President Truman. (Ft Wirephoto via radio froc Tokyo.
PROTECTION
PROGRAM IS
GIVEN NOW
4
Is Designed to Combat
Communism Also Pro
tect Pacific Islands
WASHINGTON, April 19 — i#>—
The administration has laid down
'4 three point "program of action”
designed to combat Communism in
asia and protect the Pacific is
lands.
The plan was outlined in part
Yesterday by President Truman. In
filling In detail last night, Secre
tary of State Acheson urged the na
tion to “hold a steadfast course in
Korea” and steer clear of any idea
of extending the conflict there.
Acheson's Plea - *
Acheson made this plea on the
fve of the arrival of Gen. Douglas
MacArthur. MacArthur was reliev
' ed of his Pacific commands when
the President decided MacArthur’s
policy views were not in accord with
his own,
Acheson said last night, in a
speech to the Women’s National
Press club, that if there is any
widening of the Korean fighting the
Kremlin and Red China must be
field responsible.
"The American people will never
choose this course,” he declared.
(Continued on Pagfe Two)
The Washington
Merry - Go - Round
By DREW PEARSON
(Copyright. 1951. or Bell Syndicate. Inc..
ItashinGTON— It is symbolic
that Douglas MacArthur has twice
Ridden up and down Pennsylvania
Avenue on historic occasions, each
time under unpopular Presidents,
and each time when the principle
of civilian versus military govern
ment was at issue.
The first time was nearly 20
years ago under the Hoover admin
istration, when a cautious, timid
President had been so slow in
handling a group of veterans lob
bying for a bonus that extreme
^nilitary measures were finally used
to evict them.
The second time is today under
a President with more coinage
than caution, whose injudicious ut
terances and precipitous actions
have brought his administration to
the same low stage of unpopularity
\s Herbert Hoover's.
Significant also may be the fact
that MacArthur’s previous advance
gdown Pennsylvania Avenue, behind
tanks and cavalry, drove a decisive
(Continued on Page Four)
Respected
Statesman
Passes On
Senator Vandenberg, 67,
Dies at Home After
Lingering Illness
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, April 19
—(Jl—Sen. Arthur H, Vandenberg,
one of the United States’ most re
spected statesmen, is dead at 67.
The Michigan Republican, a for
eign policy expert whose advice and
leadership were sought by the
heads of both major parties, died
last night in his sleep after several
years of illness. He had undergone
several major operations in the last
two years,
Vandenberg’s death at his home
here meant the loss of one of the
founders of the Ijnited Nations and
one of Congress’ foremost advocates
for bi-partisan , unified foreign
policy in the cold war with Russia.
Democrats Gain
It also undoubtedly meant a gain
for the Democrats in the Senate.
It falls to Michigan’s Democratic
Governor, G. Mennen Williams, to
name ix successor to Vandenberg,
whose distinguished career spanned
23 years in Congress.
Williams reportedly has four pos
sibilities in mind—former U. S.
Sen. Prentiss M. Brown, University
of Michigan law professor John
Dawson, former Michigan Attorney
General Stephen J. Roth, and Noel
P. Fox, head of the Michigan La
bor Relations Board.
With Vandenberg’s death the
Democratic majority in the Senate
became 49 to 46. The expected
Democratic appointment will make
it 50 to 46.
Had Major Operation
With the Senator’s death was
disclosed a story of his self-sacri
iice in the nation"s interests.
Dr. A. B. Smith, who cared for
Vandenberg during the long illness,
said complications of the sickness
following the major surgery caused
•death.
But it was only after death that
Vandenberg's family disclosed that
he had had a heart ailment for 25
years and that he postponed a ne
cessary lung operation for close to
a year—from the fall of 1948 to
October, 1949.
TRUMAN’S TRIBUTE
WASHINGTON, April 19 —(iW—
President Truman today mourned
the death of Senator Vandenberg
i R-Mich) as the passing of “a
patriot who always subordinated
partisan advantage and personal in
terest to the welfare of the Nation.”
Vandenberg’s independence, the
President said in a statement, ‘ cost
him dearly in everything save
honor.”
ANTI - TRUST
CASE BEfORE
JURY TODAY
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 19—
(i'PI— The trial of Anchorage taxicab
operators charged with violating
government anti-trust laws went to
a Federal Court jury in mid-day
yesterday.
Twelve hours later, with the jury
still out. observers reported: “It
looks like a long wait.”
During the prolonged trial, the
government charged that nine in
dividual taxicab owners, two cab
companies and two cab associations
had fixed prices to eliminate com
petition.
The charges were denied by the
defendants who said the Anchorage
city council and officials at nearby
military bases were responsible for
setting rates.
%.
JURY DELIBERATING
ANCHORAGE, April 19 — (jTV—A
Federal Court jury considering the
case of Anchorage taxicab operat
ors charged with anti-trust law vio
lations reported at 10 a.m. today
it had not been able to reach a
verdict after nearly 24 hours of
deliberation.
Foreman Guy Wilson told U. S.
Judge Anthony Dimond the jury
was_ willing “and physically and
mentally able” to continue its at
tempt to arrive at a verdict.
Judge Dimond urged the venire
men to return to their deliberations.
Some of the jurors appeared hag
gard and weary as they came into
the courtroom this morning. Under
Alaska law, they must remain in
the jury room until a verdict is
reached or they are discharged.
The case went to the jury at 11:20
a.m. yesterday.
Alaskan Elected to
Board Directors of
Newspaper Editors
WASHINGTON, April 19 —UPI—
The American Society of News
paper Editors elected four new
members yesterday including its
first from Alaska — Robert B. At
wood of the Anchorage Times.
The society's board of directors
acted at a closed session preliminary
to the annual meeting of ASNE
starting today. Nearly 400 newspa
per editors will attend the three-day
session.
The board also awarded ASNE’s
honorary “distinguished service”
membership to Richard J. Finnegan,
recently retired as editor of the Chi
cago Sun-Times and formerly an
active member of the society. v
♦
ALLIES TAKE
POWER DAM;
REDS RETREAT
Gen. Ridgway Warns
Troops War Threat Immi
nent-Break Any Time
By Associated Press
On the Korean Central front Al
lied troops launched a limited at
tack north of the newly captured
Hwachon power dam and reservoir
on the East-Central front In North
Korea.
The Allies seized the big hydro
electric grid Wednesday after Red*
who had defended it stubbornly for
days slipped away to the north.
Thousands of Allied Doughboys
poured into the dam and reservoir
area. United Nations riflemen struck
north from Hwachon at the west
end of the reservoir. They traded
fire with an enemy group of undis
closed strength but later withdrew.
Red? Pull Back
Chinese Reds pulled back all along
the Central front in the mountain
ous area west of the reservoir.
Rain, smoke and haze made air
observation impossible. But United
Nations *troops patrolled aggres
sively far ahead of their lines in
those craggy heights without opposi
tion.
There was no official explanation
for the sudden Red pullback that
permitted the Allies to take over
the Hmachon dam and reservoir.^.
"thr^fem’s 18 floodgate
were still open.
The dam is 880 feet long and 250
feet high. It backs up water for 11
miles and once was a major source
of power for Seoul.
Allied troops seized Hwachon at
the western end of the reservoir
Wednesday without a fight.
Hamhung Blasted
The enemy-held North Korean
port of Hamhung was blasted by
Allied Navy carrier planes. They
dropped 170,000 pounds of high ex
plosives on the town.
Lt. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway in
specting Allied troops at Sendai,
Japan, warned: ;
Ridgway’s Warning
“We stand under the imminent
threat of war which can be unleash
ed at time and place of choosing of
other people."
Assistant Secretary of the Army
Earle Johnson, who accompanied
Ridgway, emphasized that the
ouster of MacArthur did not mean
any change “in our attitude and de
termination to stop Russia and all
the aggressive tactics of the dictat
orships.”
New Defense Plan
Australians received as good news
the report that President Truman
had directed his key men to work
out a defense arrangement among
the U. S., Australia and New Zea
land. Such a defense pact, to be
modeled after the North Atlantic
treaty, has long been advocated by
the Australian government.
Secretary of State Dean Acheson
gave some details of the defense
pact plan last night in outlining a
• three-point “program of action”
j designed to combat Communism in
I Asia.
Frozen Fish from
Alaska in Slump
On Seattle Market
SEATTLE, April 19—(Jit—Receipts
of frozen fish from Alaska and Brit
ish Columbia last week were the
lowest so far this year, the Fish
and Wildlife Service said today in
its summary of fish receipts.
Because of this seasonal slump,
total receipts of fresh and frozen
fishery products during the week
were 874,847 pounds, a decline of
66 per cent from the previous week
but 30 per cent more than the cor
responding week of last year.
FLAGS AT HALF STAFF
WASHINGTON, April 19 —(jF)—
Flags at the capltol were at half!
staff today — MacArthur Day — be- |
cause of the death of Senator Van
denberg.
JCNCAU YACHT CLUB
Meeting in Iris Room, Baranof
Hotel — 8:00 p.m. Thursday. 788-1 tj
Sore Closes in
"Memory" of
Ion. MacArthur
CHICAGO, April 1 9—im—Heavily
bordered in black, the following two
^thlffln notice appeared among the
advertisements in the Chicago Tri
bune:
In Respect to the Memory of
Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Who Was Politically Assassinated
by the Democratic Administration,
We will Be Closed
All Day Thursday.
W. R. Oardner Co.
Merchandise Mart, Chicago 54.
Sidelights,
MacArthur in
Washington
WASHINGTON, April 19, —W—
Washington put its best foot for
ward for Gen. Douglas MacArthur
today and nearly tripped him with
it.
The throng of “Vips” — very
Important people — immediately
around the big transport plane in
which he flew from San Francisco
came very near to getting out of
hand. The returning General got
separated from his wife and son,
Senators’ hats were knocked askew,
and an honor guard of soldiers
dressed in ceremonial blue was just
sdbut lost in the shuffle.
-By contrast, the thousands of or
dinary citizens toed up in front of
the military air transport terminal
were cordial but orderly. As Gen.
and Mrs. MacArthur stepped out of
the Bataan and down the ramp to
gether, heavy applause and hearty
yells of welcome echoed from^the
hulking hangars nearby. “Speech,
speech!” called out one of the
spectators. But the crowd seemed
content—and cheered again—when
the five-star General waved a
friendly greeting.
A hundred yards in front of the
terminal, however, the scene was
a curious blend of football scrim
mage, theatrical first night and
county-seat dog fight. The crowd
of Vip’s surged and Jostled without
apparent reason. Searchlights
glared on the mob scene around
the plane, and photographers’flash
bulbs flicked on and off like king
size fire-flies.
An attractive brunette in a wheel
chair brought one of the few Am
erican flags seen at the celebration.
But a dixie die-hard rushed for
ward with the Confederate stars
and bars and nearly succeeded in
planting it on the long tan-topped
limousine the White House, fur
nished to carry MacArthur to his
hotel.
Contact with Sub
Reported; Little
Hope Expressed
PORTSMOUTH. Eng.. April 19—
Ml—A rescue ship made contact to
day with an object which might be
the submarine Affray, trapped on
the bottom of the English Channel,
but the Admiralty said It had little
hope any of the 75 officers and men
aboard were still alive.
FROM ANCHORAGE
Mae L. Severson of Anchorage Is
.stopping at the Baranof Hotel.
• WEATHER REPORT
• Temperature for 34-Hour Period
• ending 6:20 o’clock thU morning
• In Juneau — Maximum,
• 49; minimum, 33.
• At Airport — Maximum,
• 50; minimum, 24.
• FORECAST
• Continued fair tonight and
• Friday. Lowest temperature
• tonight near freezing and
• highest Friday near 52 deg.
• PRECIPITATION
• (Past 34 hours ending 7:30 a.m. Jodar
• City of Juneau — None;
• Since April 1 — 7.27 inches;
• Since July X — 66.20 inches.
• At Airport — None;
• Since April 1 — 2.54 inches.
• Since July 1 — 38.39 inches.
COMMENT ON
TALK MADE,
MacARTHUR
WASHINGTON, April 19 ——
Democrats Joined Republicans to
day In praising Gen. Douglas Mac
Arlhur'# speech to Congress. There
were some dissents.
Initial reaction:
Senator Morse (R-Ore): "General
MacArthur delivered an exceedingly
able address. However, It definitely
proved President Truman’s case
that General MacArthur so thor
oughly disagrfed with the foreign
policy of the United States that his
dismissal as commander in the field
was necessary. It is now the duty
of Congress to examine our foreign
policy not only in Asia but through
out the globe and determine what
checks if any it should exercise in
accordance with its constitutional
powers . . . . ”
Senator Edwin C. Johnson (D
Colo): "There was little that the
general advocated with which any
good American could disagree.”
Senator Flander (R-Vt), a mem
ber of the Armed Services Com
mittee, said the only possible issue
was whether Russia would go to war
if the MacArthur policies were fol
lowed, and added: "So far as I’m
concerned that is a justifiable risk.
I’m willing to take it.”
House Majority Leader McCor
mack (D-Mass): "He presented in
a very masterful way his viewpoint.
Most of it everyone could agree
with. The one serious thought that
we all must have in mind Is that a
commitment to* a war in China
wouM-be dangcraw*>- •* *«*■*•£•*
Vice President Barkley said he
thought it would be inappropriate
for him to comment.
EXONERATION FOR
MacARTHUR, BONUS
MARCH IN 1932
- \
WASHINGTON, April 19 —(yW—I
Senator Smith (R-NJ) told the Sen
ate yesterday General Douglas
MacArthur was not responsible for
any of the casualties in Bonus
March riots in Washington in 1932.
Smith placed in the record a
letter from Patrick Hurley, then
secretary of war, which the senator
said made clear MacArthur’s role
in the affair. MacArthur was Army
Chief of Staff at the time.
The senator said Army troops un
der MacArthur succeeded in stop
ping the casualties being inflicted
on the bonus marchers and in bring
ing the rioters under control.
(In relation to the above, read
Drew Pearson’s Washington Merry
Go- Round in today's Empire).
ADDRESS OF GEN.
MacARTHUR NOT UP,
STATE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, April 19 —Un—
The State Department said today
it has made no request to General
Douglas MacArthur for advance
look at his speech to Congress.
Technically, MacArthur comeq
under a presidential directive that
military officers and government
officials must clear with the State
Department public statements bear
ing on foreign policy.
But Reginald P. Mitchell, clear
ance officer, said MacArthur had
not submitted the speech and the
department had not asked that he
submit it.
STOCK OUCfATIONS
NEW YORK, April 1 — Closing
quotation of Alaska Juneau mine
stock today is 2%, American Can
110, American Tel, and Tel. 153%,
Anaconda 41%, Douglas Aircraft
103%, General Electric 54%, Gen
eral Motors 53%, Goodyear 77%,
Kennecott 75, Libby, McNeill and
Libby 9%, Northern Pacific 38%,
Standard Oil of California 46%
Twentieth Century Fox 20 %, U. S
Steel 44, Pound $2.80%, Canadian
Exchange 94.
Sales today were 1,510,000 shares
Averages today were as follows:
Industrials 264.92, rails 83.30, utili
ties 42.41.
General Makes Fighting Speech
At Joint Meeting of Congress;
Shows No Rancor in Defending
Himself; Applause Breaks Out
...— ' >1
By RELMAN MORIN
WASHINGTON, April 19 —m—
Gen. Douglas MacArthur, restrained
but jut-jawed with defiance, de
fended his entire Far Eastern strat
egy in! a dramatic speech before
Congress today, asserting that lie
had believed his views were fully
shared by “our own Joint chiefs of
staff.”
It was a fighting speech, all the
way.
I WILD APPLAUSE
It drew wild applause at many
points. MacArthur was interrupted
more than 30 times by cheering.
Jhid at the end, just before the
general said “goodbye,” tears were
running down the cheeks of many
of his listeners.
The members of both the Senate
and the House heard MacArthur.
The joint chiefs of staff, MacAr
thur’s son — a dark, wide-eyed elf
of a boy — and many of his gen
erals in the Pacific war, sat beneath
the dais*where he spoke. His wife
was in the gallery.
No Retreat
MacArthur retreated not an inch
trom the pattern of Pacific defense
he has been advocating for many
months! — a set of policies that fin
ally brpught his abrupt discharge
I by order of the President.
1 He reviewed, and re-advocated the
main points of that strategy again
today. And then, in a voice that al
most broke with his own emotion,
he said:
Severely Criticized
“For entertaining these views, al!
professionally designed to support
our forces committed to Korea and
to bring hostilities to an end with the
least possible delay and at a saving
i of countless American and Allied
| lives, I have been severely criticized
in lay circles, principally abroad,
despite my understanding that from
a military standpoint, the above
views have been fully shared by
practically every military leader con
cerned with the Korean campaign,
including our own joint chiefs of
staff."
Core of Defense
These words, the core of his de
fense, seemed to strike like a thun
derbolt.
For the briefest instant, the pack
ed chamber, floor and gallery was
silent. Then a deafening ovation
exploded. Republicans and most of
the spectators leaped to their feet,
cheering and stamping. It was al
most a full minute before MacAr
thur could continue.
He stood, motionless as a statue,
his freckled hands gripping the
sides of the dais where his manu
script lay.
He did not look at the members
of the joint chiefs. Just below the
platform.
When ne was aoie 10 romuiuc,
said — and his voice dropped lower
—"I asked for reinforcements, but
was informed that reinforcements
were not available.”
Then he said he "made clear his
belief that Chinese Communist air
bases had to be destroyed,” that “the
friendly Chinese force at some 600,
000 men on Formosa” should be
used, and that the China coast
should be blockaded.
Indecisive Campaign
Otherwise, he said, “we could hope
at best for only an indecisive cam
paign with its terrible and constant
attrition upon our forces if the
enemy used his full military poten
tial."
MacArthur said he had called for
new political decisions to adjust
policy to the fact of Bed China’s en
try into the war. “Such decisions,"
he said, “have not been forthcom
ing.”
He continued, with great deliber
ation :
Denies “War Monger"
"Efforts have been made to dis
tort my position. It has been said
in effect that I was a war monger
Nothing could be further from the
truth.”
There was the nub of the whole
great controversy.
In previous speeches, President
Truman, and Gen. Omar Bradley
chairman of the Joint chiefs oi
staff, had asserted the administra
tion aim to localize the Korean
war, and not to extend It to other
countries.
State* His Case
The collision, plus the fact that
MacArthur had made public state
ments of policy, caused his dismis
sal, and brought him back to Wash
ington today to stauThis case.
This appearance was the climax
of a series of tremendous receptions
In Honolulu, San Francisco and in
the Capital. The galleries were com
pletely filled long before he appear
ed today.
Mrs. MacArthur, with three wo- *
men friends, slipped into a seat in
the White House gallery about 15
minutes before he appeared. 8he
was observed and cheered. A moment
later, his young son, escorted by
Col. Anthony Story, pilot of the
general's plane, came onto the
House floor and was seated just
to the left of the dais.
Rising Ovation *
MacArthur entered at 12:32. He
received a rising ovation from ev
erybody present. Republicans and
Democrats alike.
He wore an Elsenhower jacket,
without decorations. The silvery
circle of five-star rank glittered on
his shoulders. He shook hands with
Vice President Alben Barkley and
turned, placing a typed manuscript
on the dais.
Hts face was ail unreadable mask.
His voice was low but firm and
emphatic.
No Bitterness
He said "I address you With
neither rancor nor bitterness.”
He spoke with great deliberation,
and smoothly. Once or twice, to
emphasize a point, he would repeat
a phrase. At some passages, a faint
glow of emotion came through the
measured cadences.
As he said "I now turn to the
Korean conflict,” a rustle of antici
pation ran through the house.
MacArthur said. “While I was not
consulted prior to the President’s
decision to intervene in support of
the Republic of Korea, that deci
sion, from a military standpoint,
proved a sound one,”
Reviews Early Stages
A burst of applause stopped him.
He swiftly recalled the early stages
of the Korean campaign, and said
victory was within grasp when It
was snatched away by the entry of
the Chinese Communists. It was at
that point, MacArthur said, that
new decisions were required and
they “have not been forthcoming.”
He denied that he had advocated
attacking metropolitan China with
"our ground forces."
“While no man in his right mind
would advocate sending our ground
forces into continental China, and
such was never given thought, the
new situation did urgently demand
a drastic revision of strategic plan
ning If our political aim was to
defeat this new enemy as we had
defeated the old one.”
Four Points of Action
The general then reiterated the
four points he has voiced before,
actions to be taken against the
Chinese Reds. They were:
1. “The Intensification of our
economic blockade against China.
2. "The imposition of a Naval
blockade against the China coast.
3. “The removal of restrictions
on air reconnaissance of China’s
coastal area and of Manchuria.
4. "Removal of restrictions on
the forces of the Republic of China
on Formosa, with logistical support
to contribute to their effective oper
ations.’’
No Appeasing unuia
Observers noted at that point that
MacArthur did not propose the ac
tual bombing of Chinese bases. But
a moment later he used the phrase,
“to destroy the enemy built bases
north of the Yalu.”
His voice took on a faint edge
(Continued on Page Two)
STEAMBt MOVEMENTS
Baranof scheduled to sail from
Seattle Friday.
Denali scheduled to arrive from
westward Sunday enroute south.
Princess Louise scheduled to ar
rive from Sltagway at 7 a.m. Friday,
sailing south half hour later at 7:30.