CONGRESSIONAL ,
LIBRARY
THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE
* "ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME*
_ _ — -... - —-*
VOL. LXXVIII., NO. 11,936
JUNEAU, ALASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1951
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRICE TEN CENtS
Juneau Volunteer Fire
Department Unique One;
Duties Are Many and Varied
The Juneau Volunteer Fire De-4
partment has maintained one of the
most efficient fire departments
in the country for 66 years. The first
fire department was organized in
1885 when Juneau was a rambling
* waterfront town with less than 500
people. A hand-drawn water cart
and bucket brigade were the only
protection against conflagration
since there was no water system at
that time. When a fire occurred a
bell was rung and the bntire com
munity turned out to combat the
blaze.
An old picture of that water cart
bearing a sign, "You ring the bell, |
we'll do the rest” can be seen in
' the Thomas Hardware Co. store
window. The display includes
models of fire trucks of the 1900
era. These trucks, which are to
scale, and operate just like the real
trucks, even to extending the lad
ders on the old style aerial, were
made by the son of Fire Chief Mill.
Several old pipes from "Betzy,” an
old style and new style mask, the
Scott-Air pak. a modern all around
mask, several coils of hose, a 1952
model aerial truck, which should
be the delight of every youngster,
firehats and the old bell which has
been rung many times to announce
the Annual Firemen's Ball can also
be observed in the window.
Grows in 1900
Speaking of 1900. it was recalled
by the oldtimers in the department
that in those days the department
consisted of two hand-drawn hose
companies and one hook and ladder
company. Stamina and fleetness
of foot determined a member of
the department, as it was often ;
necessary for the men to pull the
heavy hose carts a considerable dis
tance, sometimes reaching the fire
in a state of collapse. Practice runs
were frequent and the fastest men
in Juneau were at a premium, since i
the security of the community de
pended upon speed.
The Gastineau Channel fire de
partments reached the height of
their glory during the gold rush
days. All activity stopped in those
days when hose cart races were
scheduled between the settlement's
fire departments.
Months before the event the fire
men would be ii* training and would
strip down to trunks and spike
shoes for the final event. Those
firemen not in the race wore full
dress uniforms and the hose carts
were gaily decorated. Betting was
high and the results of the races
often attained considerable fury. It
was recalled that on one Fourth
of July event not only the three
hose companies engaged in a free
for-all, but the speptators entered
into the contest.
Tactics Change With Autos
The fire-fighting tactics of the
Juneau Fire Department began to
change with the coming of the
automobile, and in 1913 the first
truck, on which was mounted hose
and chemical tanks, was purchased
by the City of Juneau and in 1916
found a larger truck, equipped with
pumper, giving the city considerably
more protection.
At the present time the Juneau
Fire Department has two heavy
duty trucks and one auxiliary truck
(Betzy). These trucks are equipped
with fairly modern equipment.
Howevpr, since the City of Juneau
TheWashington
Merry - Go - Round
(Cooyriaht, 1951. by Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
By DREW PEARSON
J^ASHINGTON — The Defense
Department is alarmed over a wave
of crippling strikes that have
dangerously slowed jet-engine pro
duction at a time when jet fighters
are desperately needed to turn back
Russian jets in Korea and defend
this country against new Russian
A-bombs.The situation is so critical
that the Air Force has actually
been forced to accept planes with
out engines.
Without putting the finger on
labor or management, the Defense j
Department frankly suspects Com- ]
munists may be behind these strik- j
es. At least, the Communists could [
not have struck ih a more strategic i
industry at a worse time.
For example, the strike against
the General Electric Lockland plant
at Lockland, Ohio, cost the' Air
Force several hundred jet engines.
Another two-month-old strike at
Brown and Sharpe, Providence, R.
I., has shut down a principal source
of screw machines and other vital
tools needed for aircraft production.
These were followed by sudden
(Continued on Page 4)
has grown in the past years, the
equipment for the trucks and the
trucks must keep up with the times.
Modern fire-fighting equipment
often may be the means of saving
the life of a little child or one of
your family. The Volunteers give
of their time and risk their lives.
The citizens of Juneau can at
least take an interest in their de
partment and urge and see that
modern equipment becomes a part
of those units which might be
pressed into service to put out a
fire in their own home.
Activities Many, Varied
The Juneau Fire Department
finds its activities many and varied,
and when there is serious trouble
in the community they are always
called to the scene. Many times in
the past years they have been
called to rescue mountain climbing
parties stranded in the mountains
around Juneau. First aid packs are
always maintained at the fire hall
for mountain rescue work. They
also make the ambulance runs with
the city ambulance. These men
leave their daily jobs to make the
runs, asking no pay only doing their
part towards their civic duty.
Volunteer Organization
The Juneau Fire Department is
strictly a volunteer organization,
with the exception of two paid
drivers. Its members constitute a
cross section of the community.
Twenty years of service in the de
partment is not uncommon, and
a standing list of applicants is
evidence of the honor that is at
tached to being a member of the
department.
The spirit of the department has
always been reflected in its out
standing leaders, and the record of
the organization speaks for itself.
Modern fireproof structures haye
not yet replaced the original frame
buildings on the dock, waterfront
and around town, created during
the city’s pioneer construction days.
The department has been fortunate,
so far, in holding and rsstricting
fires with a minimum of loss. Within
the past few years several large
fires which, if allowed to have
gotten out of hand, would have
wiped out large portions of Ju
neau’s business area.
Legendary Institution
The Juneau Fire Department is
more, however, than just a group
of firemen. It has become a legend
and an institution with a long re
cord of achievement and activities
devoted to community welfare and
betterment. The Firemen's Club
developed and owns the Juneau Ball
Park and sponsors the Gastineau
Channel Baseball League. There is
a Community Open House each
year during which all citizens are
invited to visit the fire house. (The
boys hope that their new fire sta
tion will be completed for this year’s
affair.)
Hats off to those men of the de
partment and all wish them every
success. Let’s get behind them
and make this and every week Fire
Prevention Week. One can help
your community to grow into a safe
and prosperous one by becoming
more observant to fire hazards and
then doing something about those
hazards. Remember fire joins with
his pal carelessness, are you a
member of that group? Check now
before its too late. Let’s keep Ju
neau safe.
Special Statement
Issued in Italy
On Columbus Day
ROME, Oct. 12—M— Italian Pre
mier Alcide De Gasperi issued a
special statement today in honor
of Columbus Day. He said Christo
ofer Columbus has become a ‘‘sym
bol that ties two worlds together.”
"For several years now vve have
commemorated Columbus Day by
sending greetings to friends in Am
erica,” the message said. “This time
I do.it with even greater enthusi
asm, since the cordial reception
given me recently in tiie United
States and Canada is still vivid
before me.”
Baranof scheduled to arrive
southbound sometime Sunday.
Denali sails from Seattle today.
. Freighter Ring Splice due north
bound Saturday at 8 a.m.
Princess Louise scheduled to ar
rive northbound Saturday afternoon
or early evening.
Organization of
Boy Scout Finance
Campaign Begins
Organization of workers for the
1951 Annual Boy Scout Finance
campaign is well under way, ac
cording to A. B. Phillips, campaign
chairman. The campaign is sched
uled to begin October 16 with a
"kick-off" breakfast at the Baranof
Hotel.
Working with Phillips on the ex
ecutive committee for the Juneau
drive are: Charles Burdick, George
Parks, Curtis Shattuck, George E.
Cleveland, Wallis George, Tom Mor
gan, and Dr. J. O. Rude.
The team captains who will spear
head the drive with the recruiting
of 10 six-man teams include: Ray
Bolton, Carl Rusher, Irvin Curtis,
J. B. Dumey, R. M. Scott, C. A.
Carroll, Ted Oberman, Jack Pope
joy, Norman Sommers, and A. N.
Eide. Team captains will complete
the organization of their teams to
day and report their personnel to
Phillips.
Heading' the drive as campaign
workers in Federal and Territorial
agencies are: Ralph Browne and
W. A. Elkins, Federal Building; Dr.
C. E. Albrecht, Public Health De
partment; Henry Harmon, Depart
ment of Public Welfare; Joe Mor
gan, Bureau of Reclamation; Neil
Fritchman, Veterans Administra
tion; Marvin Ripke, Alaska Native
Service; Lt. Col. D. H. Cameron,
Alaska National Guard and James
Cauley, Employment Security Com
mission.
“I want to express personally the
appreciation of Juneau to these men
who are participating in the or
ganization and work of this cam
paign,” Chairman Phillips stated.
“Through their fine efforts and
the whole-hearted, generous support
of the citizens of Juneau the suc
cess of the Boy Scout drive is as
sured.”
$56 Billion
Defense Bill
Is Approved
WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 — .TP) —
Tlie biggest peacetime U.S. military
appropriation in history—$56,937,
808,030—received final Congressional
approval today.
Senate passage by a voice vote
sent the measure on to President
Truman. The House approved it
! last week.
The amount is about one billion
dollars below the appropriation re
quested by Mr. Truman.
Just before the vote, Senator
Lodge (R-Mass) told U*e Senate
the bill “will really do things” for
American military strength.
The Senate also is to take up a
$1,042,867,887 bill carrying funds for
State, Commerce and Justice De
partments which has been worked
out in conference. The House ap
proved this yesterday.
Approval of these two bills will
leave only four of the 13 major
money measures for the current
fiscal year in the way of adjourn
ment of Congress.
Native Service Not
Seriously Affected
By Less Funds: Wade
Because of reductions in appropri
ations, many of the area offices
of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
have been required to consolidate
their field operations, Hugh J. Wade,
area director of the Alaska Native
Service said today.
He returned Monday from Wash
ington, D.C., where he attended
the annual meeting of the bureau's
area directors. ,
The area office of the Alaska
Native Service has not been seri
ously affected, he said, but it will be
impossible to expand the present
programs.
“In keeping with the general ad
ministrative policy of curtailment
in construction,” Wade said, “there
will be very littje new construction
carried on by the service in Al
aska this fiscal year.
“The Bethel hospital will be built
and the new Anchorage hospital will
be completed. Two new schools will
be constructed in villages in the
Interior where school facilities are
badly needed,” he said.
• •••••••••
• DUCK HUNTING HOURS
• October 13
•
• Starts — 6:59 a.m.,
• Ends — 4:59 p.m.
Death Silence Broken
By Baby's Cry in Plane
Wreck in Arctic Section
Council
Reduces
Mill Levy
The Juneau city council last
night approved unanimously the
proposed budget for the coming fis
cal year which cut the mill levy
on assessed real and personal pro
perty from 20 to 19 mills.
One councilman, Bert McDowell,
said he believed the council had
done a thing unprecedented in re
cent American history—in cutting
a tax.
The tax levy of 19 mills would
produce a revenue of $298,788.50 on
real and personal property assessed
at $15,726,237.25.
Subport Parking Denied
A letter to the council from Al
aska headquarters of the Unit'd
States Army in Seattle denied 'the
city the privilege of using the sub
port area for general vehicle park
ing. 1
The commanding officer, Major
General J. W. Cunningham, said the
plan would be too involved and that
the request of the council would
have to be denied because of the
need of the space by the Territorial
National Guard.
Council members were disgrunt
led at the outcome of this plan, be
pause, they say, the space is not
bring used, and because the space
is badly needed to help solve Ju
neau’s parking problem.
Late Closing Hours
Two letters were read protesting
the proposed extension of closing
hours for establishments serving
Honors. Mavor Woi’io Hendrickson
said there are many protesting let
ters of this kind on file.
A petition has been circulated ov
bar owners asking that late closing
hours be allowed by the city. Some
council members assert that some
of the bar owners, themselves, are
not in favor of the law being
changed.
The question was carried over to
allow further discussion. It was
said that a special hearing would
probably be called before a decision
was made.
Salaries Increased
The council was in favor of in
creasing the salaries of most city
employees. A changed ordinance to
allow increases generally up to 10
percent was passed on the first
reading.
Most offices would be affected,
although the salary of councilmen
and several others would remain the
same. Common labor is raised from
$1,624 an hour to $1.80, truck driv
ers from $1.82 to $2, and mechanics
and street-grader men from $2.07 to
3>Z.Z0.
The mayor said this would in most
cases cover the past year's cost-of
living jumps, and at the same time
comply with wage stabilization laws.
Job Applications
There were only a few new ap
plicants for city jobs. Most of the
present employees are re-applying.
Consideration of the applications
was held over in order to weigli
qualifications. Present employees
were all asked to remain on their
jobs with the understanding that
proposed salary increases would go
into effect Nov. 1.
The harbor ordinance passed its
second reading. This establishes the
appointment of the harbormaster
and regulates the small boat harbor.
The ordinance to have the city
council meet only the first and
third Thursday of each week, passed
on the first reading. This would
change the meeting time to 7:30
p.m. instead of 8.
Approved New Float
Approved was the request by the
Fish and Wildlife Service to build
a small float for use during the
winter months near the old grid
iron on the Tenth Street side of
the boat harbor.
This is to be done solely at the
expense of Pish and Wildlife Ser
vice. Pish and Wildlife will only
use the float during the coldest
winter months, and provision is be
ing made for use of the float dur
ing other months by small boats.
The old gridiron, now condemned,
will be removed.
Liability Insurance
The Juneau Insurance _>Agency
was the low bidder to furnish pub
lic liability and property damage
insurance for Juneau. Their bid was
$1630.82. The council passed a mo
tion to have the mayor and city
! attorney investigate to be sure all
insurance companies entered their
► FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Oct. 12—
lift—A baby's faint dry broke the
silence of death beside a crashed
plane in the Arctic Wednesday.
Astonished airmen from another
plane found the 6-month-old boy
strapped inside a fur pouch under
the parka of his dead Eskimo
mother.
The tot, although injured, survived
the crash that hurled Mrs. Martha
Ruth Simmons 90 feet from the
crashed plane, to her death on the
ice.
Another victim of the crash was
the pilot, George Harrington, from
Marblehead Lake, Mass.
L. B. Willjams of the government’s
Alaska Native Service and at first
believed to have been a passenger
on the plane, was located last night
in Meade River village. He had not
been a passenger when the craft
took off on its flight near Point
Barrow, northernmost tip of North
America.
Finding of Williams canceled
plans for further search for him
at the spot where the single en
gine Wien-Alaska Airlines plane
crashed on a frozen lagoon.
“We found the plane broken Into
pieces and scattered all over the
ice," said Pilot William English. "Wo
found the pilot’s body about 100 feet
from the fuselage. Then we went
over to where the mother was ly
ing. She was dead, too. Then sud
denly we heard a baby crying some
where inside her clothing. We open
ed the hood of the fur compartment
on her back and discovered the in
fant.”
English and Fess (Casey) Stcngl
flew the baby to the hospital at
Point Barrow. It was reported to
have internal injuries.
The other airmen believed the
plane crashed onto the Ice during
a snow flurry.
New Red
Charge
Is Made
Claim Made UN Plane
Attacked Neutrality
Zone of Kaesong
MUNSAN, Korea, Oct. 12—'/PI—
! The Reds summoned Allied liaison
officers to Kaesong tonight to in
vestigate new neutrality violation
charges.
The call came as the Reds and
Allies appeared near agreement on
reopening truce talks at a new site,
Fanmunjom, six air miles south
east of Kaesong.
The Reds charged that a United
Nations plane attacked the Kae
song neutral zone at 5:35 p.m. —
only an hour and a half after the
truce meeting ended at Panmun
jom.
They made the charge over the
radio-telephone circuit linking the
U.N. advance peace camp at Mun
san with Kaesong, original site ol
truce talks which the Reds broke
off Aug. 23 because of an asserted
Allied plane attack.
Air Force Col. Don C. Darrow
and Army Lt. Col.‘Norman B. Ed
wards left the Allied peace camp
by jeep at 8 p.m., for Kaesong.
Simultaneously, a U.N. spokesman
said, the U.S. Air Force began
checking to see If fcny Allied.plane
could have been in the area.
Charges of violations of the Kae
song neutral zone were the main
rea:on for moving the talks.
fhe size of the protected area
to be maintained around Kaesong
in the future appeared today to
be a major stumbling block in the
path of resuming armistice nego
tiations.
The new Red charge — which
could disrupt preparations for re
newing negotiations — was tele
phoned at 7 p.m. The Reds gave
the time, place, extent of damage
and nature of the asserted attack.
: The U.N. command did not an
nounce whether it was supposed to
have been bombing, machinegun
j ning or fire bombing.
fi rther note on charges
MUNSAN, Korea, Saturday—<JTV—
t Holies of resuming the Korean truce
: talks were shaken today by a Com
. munlst charge that three American
planes strafed both the Kaesong
bids on the same basis. If so, they arc
instructed to accept the low bid
The meeting adjourned with the
payment of bills.
Other Musk Trail
Towns Will Honor
Juneau Tickets
Good news to travelers among
Juncau-Douglas Concert Associa
tion membership is that their tic
kets will be honored in Anchorage
and Fairbanks for Alaska Music
Trail concerts.
First concert in the 1951-52 series
in Juneau will be next Tuesday
night at the 20th Century theatre
when Donald Gramm, bass bari
tone. will be the featured artist. His
accompanist will be famous pianist
Maxim Schapiro, whose planning
developed the Alaska Music Trail
concert circuit.
Other good news released by the
concert association board following
Its luncheon meeting Thursday is
that 25 children will be able to at
tend the concert series through the
generosity of individuals, clubs and
business firms that purchased stu
dent tickets.
Reservations are already being
made with Mrs. E. L. Hunter, Jr.,
for the no-host dinner which will
honor Alaska Music Trail artists
Gramm and Schapiro and Mrs
Schapiro Monday night on the
paranof Terrace. The dinner will
be public, it will be informal and
reservations limited only to the
seating capacity of the terrace —
about 50, according to Mrs. John
McCormick, association president.
Also in honor of the visitors will
be a public reception in the Bara
nof lounge Tuesday night following
the concert at the 20th Century
theatre.
Members of the board and mem
bership committee of the concert
association will act as hostesses and
ushers at the concert and will re
ceive with the guests of honor at
the reception in the Baranof.
Truman Asks WSB
To Settle Plane
Plant Strikes
WASHINGTON, Oct. 12—UH—Pre
sident Truman has asked the Wage
Stabilization Board to try to settle
two defense plant strikes Which
have halted production of jet en
gines and of transport planes used
for evacuation of wounded from
Korea.
The plants involved are the
Wright Aeronautical Corp., at
Woodridge, N. J., which makes Jet
engines, and the Douglas Aircraft
Co., at Long Beach, Calif., producer
of the C-124 Globemaster Trans
port. One of the Globemasters re
cently evacuated 127 Korean casu
alties in a single flight.
In turning the disputes over to '
the wage board Mr. Truman said
Defense Mobilizer Charles E. Wil
son has reported that the strikes
are having a serious effect on
the mobilization program.
Members of the CIO United Auto
Workers have been on strike at the
Woodridge plant since Sept. 26 and
at Long Beach since Sept. 5.
Mr. Truman said In a letter to
Nat Feinsinger, ohairman of the
wage board, in directing him to
attempt settlement of the Wright
strike:
"Even before the strike, engine de
liveries from the plant were behind
schedule. Since Wright Aeronauti
cal Corp. Is the sole source of sup
ply for the type of engine it pro
duces, the stoppage is having a ser
ious impact on the progress of the
defense program." ,
Mr. Truin.vn expressed hope- the
strikers at both plants would re
turn to work immediately.
The wage board's first act will be
to relay the President’s back-to
work request to the strikers and
then, if the men go back, to hold
hearings in an effort to settle the
disputes.
MARRIAGE APPLICATION
Ruth H. Roberson, a registered
nurse at the Government Hospital,
and Jesse R. Boyer, carpenter have
applied for a marriage license In
the office of the U. S. Commission
er.
FROM ANCHORAGE
Eddie and Olga Metcalf, from An
chorage, are guests at the Bar
anof Hotel.
and Panmunjom areas, killing one
Korean boy and wounding another.
The Reds declared in a broadcast
from Peiping early today:
‘'Observers here (in Kaesong) be
lieve that this new serious provo
cation created by the American side
gives rise to deep misgivings as to
whether the American side still has
the slightest sincerity in preparing
for the resumption of armistice ne
gotiations."
Allied liaison officers made a pre
liminary investigation of the Red
accusation during Jhe darkness last
' night and early today and decided
1 to resume their inquiry at 9 a m.
Mostly Costly Hill Battle
Of Korean War Is Won at
Point of U. H. Bayonets
Behrends Baranof
Breakfast Honors
Anniversary
Breakfast at the Baranof this
morning was part of the B. M.
Behrends Company 64th anniversary
celebration and conversation around
the table reviewed early days of
Juneau and of Behrends then came
up to date when Ken Albertson,
store manager, brieted the sales
people present on the merchandise
offered in today's anniversary sale.
There was talk about John Krug
ness, oldest employee of the com
pany, manager of the grocery de
partment who, nearly 50 years age
came to Juneau from the plains of
Montana, a cowboy whose Job it was
to subdue the Behrends delivery
horse, brenk him of his habit of
running away. John, whose place
at the breakfast table today was
empty, had begged off this morn
ing because of a cold. It was sus
pected that it might have been
sentiment rather than a cold that
kept John away and he was declar
ed present In spirit.
There was other talk of cldtimers
who once worked for Behrends.
There was mention of Charlie Car
ter and of Wallis George and others
who have, become important peo
ple in Juneau. And of course, J. P.
Mullen, president of B. M. Belmnos
Bunk and son-in-law of the found
er, is oldest employee o' ‘*'e Beh
rends organization, next to John
Krugness.
At the store, oldest employees ere
now Bill Alexander, H irry Stnrrcck
and Andy Robinson.
Records of the company, old ciay
books, would tell the hlstdry of Ju
neau as well as of the Behrends
comgpny, according to John Bur
ney, vice president of Behrends
Bank, who recently had been look
ing through them.
Sales slips made records, too, Ken
Albertson said, and recounted the
finding of slips dated 1901 when
Interior walls were torn out of the
store during /• cent remodeling.
Seated around the flower-centered
table at the early breakfast were
Mr. Burney, Mr. Albertson, Esther
Erbland, Jim Mahar, Alberta Rent
ier, Lois Poole, Ann Pernod, Al
berta Carlson, Claire Smith, Beatrice
Albegoff, Edith C. Little and Lois
Kennedy.
Plane Down,
Snowstorm
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Oct. 12—
W—A four-place Cessna owned by
Northern Consolidated Airlines but
flown by a Wien-Alaska Airlines
pilot was forced down in a snow
storm six miles northwest of Nenana
yesterday.
The pilot, Don Hulshizer, escaped
injury, but was marooned at the
plane. The Tenth Rescue Squadron
reported a helicopter was assigned
to pick up the pilot when the storm
cleared.
Hulshizer, a resident of Fairbanks,
was on a chartered Wien flight in
the plane.
I
I_I I
• a
• OCTOBER 13 •
• a
• High tide 12:27 am., 16.9 ft. •
• Low tide 6:32 a.m., 0.0 ft. •
• High tide 12:48 p.m., 18.2 ft. •
• Low tide 7:02 p.m., -0.5 ft. •
• •
• WEATHER REPORT •
• (U S. WEATHER BUREAU •
• At Airport: Maximum, 50; •
• Minimum. 41. •
• •
• FORECAST •
• (Juneau and Vicinity) •
• Cloudy with light rain •
• showers tonight becoming •
• partly cloudy Saturday with •
• scattered showers. Lowest •
• temperature tonight near 40 •
• degrees, highest Saturday •
• around 45. •
• •
• PRECIPITATION •
• (Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today •
• At Airport — 0.39 Inches; •
• since July 1—12.50 inches. •
• »•••••#•••
► U. S. 8TH ARMY HEADQUAR
TERS, Korea, Oct. 12—UR—Bloody
bayonets of American and French
Infantrymen today cleared the Reds
off the last peak of Heartbreak
Ridge, climaxing the longest and
most costly hill battle of the Ko
rean war.
Fierce fighting continued on the
northern slope below the crest. U.
S. 8th Army officers referred to It
as "mopping up.”
The Allies captured two other
nearby peaks in the eastern Ko
rean mountains.
In a blazing air battle ont
northeastern Korea U.8. F-88
Sabre Jet pilots reported they
shot down one Red Jet and dAM
agrd six. The Fifth Air Fafee
said the Sabres were outnumbered
100 to 32. It said no AmeHeaA
Jets were lost In (he 20-mlnute
fight.
Along the western front Chinese
Reds hurled three attacks at the
United Nations line. Two were
beaten back.
The third forced elements of the
U.S. First Cavalry Division to wltn
j draw. The pullback was in the
Yonchon sector, roughly 28 miles
northeast of Panmunjom where
Red and U.N. liaison officer! were
reported near agreement on ti
openlng truce talks.
Allied war planes were Atj| In
force Friday. Land-based plane*
mounted 1,045 sorties Thursday,
the highest number In four
months. Four carriers sent thb)f
planes aloft, Including 90 nrtlR
qff the Australian escort earrtot
Sydney. The Navy said thl* was
possibly a record for an Csoeft
carrier.
All battle action was ovprshg
dowed by the capture of the north
ernmost peak of Heartbreak Ridge.
A little band of haggard French
men and Americans seised it In a
night long attack. At 8 a.m. they
stood looking across the crtst gt
the climax of 21 days of inortdible
fighting for Heartbreak Ridge.
At their feet were the bU*Ae4
and twisted bodies of North’ Ko
rean Communists whose fsnAtlea!
defense was equalled only by the
courage that won the bitter ad
miration of the men who lulled
them In hand-to-hand straggle.
The Reds' dogged defense made
the month-long battle for the four
mile ridge probably the- costliest
Allied regimental attack of the
whole Korean war.
Some companies almost disap
peared. Some battalions were cut
down to little more than companies.
Tax Bill
Boosts
Everylhing
Individual Incomes Hit
by New Measure; Excise
Tax Increased Billions
WASHINGTON, Oct. 12—(ift—A
$6,750,000,000 tax increase which
among other things would boost the
levy on most Individual Incomes by
about 11 \ percent was approved
yesterday by a Senate-House con
ference committee.
The measure—the nation's second
largest revenue bill — is scheduled
for House action next Tuesday. It
then will go to the Senate. Ap
proval by both is anticipated.
In addition to the Income MX
rise — effective Nov. 1 — the bill
calls for sharp increases in the
excise taxes on whiskey, beer, wine,
cigarettes, gasoline, automobiles and
n number of other articles.
Corporation taxes are jumped'by
upward of $2,300,000,000 retroactive
to last April 1.
In many aspects, particularly
in estimated revenue yield, the
bill is closer to the S5.4OO.0M.MO
measure passed by the Senate
than the $7’80,000,0*0 version
toted by the House. Nevertheless
a number of key House provisions
were Included In the compromise,
worked out after sessions spread
ing over hlnfe^Ohys.
The bill provides only a little more
than half the $10,000,000,000 addi
tional income which President Tru
man said represents the govern
ment's minimum needs.
With enactment of this bill, the
tax load will have been increased
some $16,576,000 since the start of
the Korean war. A record-breaking
$6,100,000,000 Increase went on the
(Continued on Page Two)