THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE
? * ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIMET'
VOL. LXXVI., NO. 11,781
JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11, }951
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRICE TEN CENTS
CEN. MACARTHUR IS FIRED BY TRUMAN
8 KILLED
IN CRASH,
: LADD BASE
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, April 11
UP)—A routine attempt to pick up
a glider at Ladd Air Force Base
ended in the fiery crash of a low
flying four-motored C-54 transport
plane with a cost t,? 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dered withdrawn after publication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, navi
j 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 MORE RED
DIVISIONS
INTO KOREA
WASHINGTON, April 11 — MV
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 37,000 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 Called For
WASHINGTON, April 11, —Ifl—
The comptroller of the currency
today issued a call for a statement
of the condition of all National
Banks at the close of business April
9.
The Washington
Merry - Go - Round
By DREW PEARSON
(Copyright, 1931. or Bell Syndicate, Inc..
TFaSHINGTON.—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 a
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 One 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
continued on Page Four)
I
Engrebrelh
As Delegate
To Congress
_
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11 —
I (•'PI— The Anchorage Times says
, there is a growing Republican move
i ment for the nomination of Sen.
Gqnnard Engebreth of Anchorage
as the GOP nominee for delegate to
! Congress.
Engebreth was president of the
Territorial session in both the 1949
j and 1951 sessions. The paper said
i Engebreth had no comment to make
j on the reports.
Engebreth frequently crossed
I party lines in the recent session to
; vote with the majority of the Demo
' crats and two other Republicans—
I Anita Garnick of Juneau and Percy
j Ipalook of Kotzebue, says the Times
He also was the outspoken critic
i of Albert White of Juneau, the
Republican party general counsel in
j 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
of the party.
UNDERWORLD
LEADER DIES
IN FLORIDA
MIAMI BEACH, Fla., April 11 —
I/Pi—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
I ing Fischetti for four days said that
| death was caused by a heart attack.
1 He said there was no doubt it re
! suited from natural causes.
Fischetti and his brother, Rocco,
j 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
l probe the day the Fischettis sur
rendered. Tobey said at the time
j that ‘ they are kingpins in the
gambling world and would con
i tribute 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,
j Fischetti was a cousin of the late
• A1 Capone and had been associated
with the Capone outfit since the
late 1920s. He once served as Ca
1 pone's chauffer.
2 MOTIONS,
ANTITRUST
CASE, OUT
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11—
liPI— Federal Judge Anthony Di
! mond has denied two defense mo
i tions in the anti-trust trial against
! Anchorage taxicab operators.
1 Defense Atty. William Renfrew
had asked dismissal of charges
i 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.
Defense Starts
Today, the seventh day of the
trial, the defense w’as 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
time 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.
One of the government’s main
(Continued on Page Two)
Huntley for
U.S. Marshal
3rd Division
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, April 11—
UP— 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
Mickens was second with 7. The
rest of the committee's 23 votes
were scattered among former An
cnorage police chief Charles Sto
well, police Capt. Joseph Morris
and highway patrolman Charles J.
Davis, the Times reported.
SELECTIVE SERVICE
EASES OFF ON MAY
MILITARYINDUCTION
WASHINGTON, April 11 —(/Pi
Selective Service advised the na
tions draft boards today to delay
temporarily the inductions that had
been planned 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
I 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 stands at
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.
REV. GALLANT WILL
DISCUSS ALUMINUM
PLANT AT CHAMBER
A resume of his findings regard
ing a proposed aluminum plant
near Skagway will be given by the
Rev. 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 tor 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 — 2.36 inches;
Since July 1 — 38.12 Inches.
MacARTHUR
TO APPEAR,
CONGRESS
;
Agrees to Proposal Made
by Senator Wherry-"De
lighted, Honored”
—
WASHINGTON, April 11 —
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
a resolution today asking a joint
session of the Senate and House to
hear MacArthur.
Such a move would require sup
port of at least some of the Demo
crats who now control the Senate
and House.
Wherry quoted MacArthur as
saying he would be “delighted and
honored” to return here to appear
before Congress.
TERRIFIC UPROAR
WASHINGTON, April 11 —(/PI—
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
I cause of President Truman’s re
! moval of the Far Eastern com
mander.
Senator Bridges (R-NH) made
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
office of House Leader Martin
j (Mass) to talk over the situation.
Among the senators attending
i were Bridges, Taft (Ohio), Know
| land (Calif), Wiley (Wis), Smith
1 (NJ), and Wherry (Neb).
| The Republicans used such
I 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
I failed in a move to force a recess
j of the House so Republican mem
j bers could caucus on what to do
j about the MacArthur situation.
IRUHAN DOES NOT
LIKE RECORDINGS
OF PRIVATE TALKS
WASHINGTON, April 11 —UR—
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
Reconstruction 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 II. Robinson of Anchorage ar
rived here Monday on PNA and is
stopping at the Baranof Hotel.
FROM DENVER
Vernon J. Fumey oi Denver is
at the Baranof Hotel.
BIG UPROAR
OVER FIRING
MacARTHUR
Impeachment of Truman
Is Suggested-Senate,
Mouse Actions Taken
WASHINGTON, April 11 — (ffl
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 Senate and
House.
Senators V^herry 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) put in
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) mentioned
MacArthur’s name among a long
list of 'other military and naval
leaders. He was quoting from a five
year-old speech.
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 la which he said, among other
things, that “the question of pos
sible Impeachments was discussed."
Martin was asked about use of
tlie 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 from
Seattle Friday.
Princess Louise scheduled to sail
from Vancouver 8 p.m. Saturday.
Baranof from west scheduled
j southbound Sunday moraine.
Dismissal
Explodes
In Tokyo
TOKYO. April 11 —<*V— 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
ploded 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
froih his long black automobile, sa
luted the guards at the doors and
walked into the elevator that
whisked him to his sixth floor suite.
EISENHOWER
GIVES OUT
BRIEF VIEW
COBLENZ, Germany, April 11 —
UR— Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower,
visibly surprised 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 an£ 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 QUOTATION!
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 249.76, rails 81.59, utili
ties 42.57,
WORLD WAR II 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. "Thif
action can bring great tragedy tc
our country," former Presiden
Hoover said. “It does not solve thf
primary question of how to end oui
war with Communist China withou'
advantage to Soviet Russia. f
strong pillar in our Asian defens*
has been removed."
Republican leaders in Congres. 1
were trying to reach General Mac
Arthur by telephone. Sen. Bridge' 1
(R-NH) said "We are discussim
everything from impeachment o:
down.”
Some Slight Relief
On the other hand, there werr
expressions of relief from some lead
ing Democrats and from British ant
other officials abroad. These offic
ials expressed belief the way wa
open now for new efforts to end thi
war in Korea.
At London Foreign Secretary Her
bert Morrison said Britain is nov
ready to negotiate a cease fire ir
Korea but the “other side" so fai
had Bhown no desire to stop the hos
tilities.
MacArthur Gets Word
The White House announcemen
came at 1 a.m., EST. That was earl}
afternoon in Tokyo, and MacArthu;
was at luncheon in his home. H<
received the news “without turning
a hair," an aide said.
MacArthur had wanted to expanc:
the war to include direct attack*
on Red China. He sought to use th<
Formosa troops of Chiang Kai-SheV
to open a second front. Both these
stands ran counter to administratior
policy. President Truman’s actlor
in effect affirmed this policy—tc
try to keep the war limited to Koret
and to treat Europe, instead of Asis
as MacArthur wanted, as the ex
pected area of decision againsl
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. S. Army
in the Far East.
Ridgway has been commanding
the U. S. Eighth Army in Korea. Lt.
UN FORCES
IN DRIVE IN
RED KOREA
By Associated Press
United Nations forces continued
their drive into Bed Korea today
outwardly unstirred by the moment
ous supreme command shakeup un
der which President Truman fired
Oen. 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 Imjln 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
(Continued 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
ping of plans for another statement
’ by the 14 UN nations having forces
n Korea.
In addition, the White House made
•public secret messages showing Mac
Arthur had been reminded of dl
rectives^ that statements on policy
nust be cleared with Washington.
Tragic Error Says Taft
There were indications in Wash
I ngton that congressional supporters
if MacArthur would insist he now
be called in to testify on his views.
Senator Taft of Ohio, chairman of
he Senate Republican Policy Com
nittee, said President Truman made
i tragic error in firing MacArthur.
"The decision indicates a determ
ination to continue the wavering,
■painless course In the Far East and
points to either a stalemate In Korea
ir to ignominius concessions to the
I Chinese Communists." Taft
Senator Knowland, California Re
publican, saw the ouster as the fore
runner to a Far Eastern Munich,
■Senator Wherry of Nebraska, Re
mblican floor leader, contended the
majority of Americans back Mac
\rthur.
Britain Pleased, Of Course
There were expressions of relief
in Britain, whose officials had voic
ed concern to Washington ovel
MacArthur’s statements. Several
British leaders had said MacArthur
overstepped himself, as a military
commander, in issuing statements
they regarded as political. First
ivailable editorial reaction in Lon
lon was that President Truman
had shown courage in dismissing a
man "who had become a menace tp
Allied unity.” That was the view"
point of the London Star (Liberal).
Russians Happy
A former chief of staff of the
German Army, Heinz Ouderian,
;aid 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 settlement was in
creased.
Formosa Stunned
And In Formosa Chldng Kai
I Shek’s stronghold, officials saw the
action as a stunning blow. MacAr
thur was their leading advocate of
U. S. 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 cpnversatlons 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) to
night on U. S. policy in the Far East.