7=1 THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE 1 .*=1
^ ' « "ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME*
VOL. LXXVI., NO. 11,701
JUNEAU, ALASKA, SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1961
MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
PRICE TEN CENTS
Red Pressure Mounting as UN Forces Retreat
MRS. WASHINGTON
SUCCEEDS ZENGER
ON CITY COUNCIL
Mrs. Pauline Washington was
unanimously elected new city coun
cilwoman at a regular meeting of
the Juneau City Council last night.
She ran next highest in the city
election last fall and replaces Ai
Zenger who resigned as of Jan.
1. Zenger escorted her to her seat
and she was sworn in by City At
torney Howard Stabler before a full
house of spectators. Mrs. Washing
ton was congratulated as first wo
man to sit on the Council.
On behalf of the Council and
the City of Juneau, Mayor Waino
Hendrickson (expressed apprecia
tion to Zenger for his faithful ser
vice on the Council and his inter
est in city affairs.
The Council instructed the Mayor
to take the necessary action to
obtain funds from the Territorial
Highway Engineer for the construc
tion of a new approach to the
small boat harbor. Estimated cost
is around $15,000. Authority was
given also to order necessary creo
sote piling as soon as possible.
The Mayor was directed to write
a letter of thanks to the Highway
Department for the completion of
the new gridiron in the small boat
harbor.
There was discussion 01 raaio in
stallation in the City Police car
and the Council went on record
to arrange an agreement with the
Highway Patrol for ordering a radio
unit and working out some means
of cooperation with the Patrol
for maintenance and operation. The
importance of this equipment was
mentioned in connection with civ
ilian defense as well as in regular
police work.
That $S Auto Tax
Councilman George Jorgenson re
ported many complaints on the out
of-town $5 auto license and moved
that an amendment be written
by the City Attorney to rescind
that clause as pertaining to pass
enger vehicles and the City Clerk
be authorized to refund on license
fees already collected. This was
passed.
Mayor Hendrcikson pointed out
that the income from sale of these
licenses had been figured in the
budget and the loss of approximate
ly $5000 or more from this source
would upset the budget already
approved.
Stabler pointed out that the li
cense system also was important
in keeping a record of the cars
operating in the city.
Councilman Joe Thibodeau ex
pressed himself opposed to the city
license tax as well, pointing out
that car owners were already pay
ing a property tax on their cars.
Councilman Bert Caro as’.eed.
Councilman Bert McDowell ope' .d
The Washington
Merry-Go-Round
By DREW PEARSON
(Copyright, 1951, Dy Bell Syndicate, Inc.)
m SHII.GTON — Tnside reasor
why a new railroad strike is brew
ing despite the supposed “settle
ment” announced to the public last
month is friction between the rail
road brotherhood chiefs and likable,
gladhanding White House Assistant
John Steelman.
The problem of avoiding a strike
in the long, drawn-out railroad dis
pute is one of the toughest in the
nation. But ' things have become
so tense between Steelman and the
brotherhoods that they have sent
word to Secretary of Defense
Marshall recommending that Steel
man be replaced with a topflight
mediator such as Cyrus Ching or
Anna Rosenberg.
What ired them was first of all a
sentence they discovered in a strike
agreement memorandum which they
negotiated after a grueling, all
night session at the White House
last month. The line read: “If the
parties cannot agree on details
or agreement or rules, they shall
be submitted to John R. Steelman
for a final decision.”
This, brotherhood chieftains in
terpreted, meant that Steelman
would have a three-year job as a
rail negotiator whether he re
mained on the White Houe staff or
not.
Another thing that ired them
was Steelman’s tactics in propos
ing that the two sides write down
the points of near-agreement and
take them home as a basis for
~ (Continued on Page Four)
up the matter of collecting the city
property tax on cars saying that
it was a hardship on many follow
ing as it does, the holidays and
coming at income tax time. He
moved that a 60-day grace period
be allowed for the payment of the
tax and a windshield sticker be
issued when the tax was paid.
Passed.
It was decided to call for bids
on hauling oil for city use. The
property committee was directed
to investigate the merits of getting
an oil storage tank for the city.
The Mayor was directed tc co
operate with the Juneau Chamber
of Commerce in sending a repre
sentative to attend a public hear
ing by the U. S. Corps of Engineers
on harbor improvements which is
scheduled for January 26 in Ketchi
kan.
Councilmfui Thibodeau compli
mented the City Police on their
,care(lul patrols r^t thqi schools
while school busses are loading
and unloading. •
He also offered a motion that
a notice be posted on City bulletin
boards to the effect that when
there is an attachment of wages
of any city employee that he may
be subject to dismissal at the dis
cretion of the Council. This was
passed after it was agreed that such
employee be given a fair hearing
on the matter.
Councilman Ed Nielson brought
up u* matter of inmates confined
in ‘ti# city jail under lock and
key without a guard when police
were on patrol and declared the
danger in event of fire.
Because of the uncertainty of
how long the Jail would be used in
case the Territorial office building
were constructed and the city had
to move its offices. Mayor Hend
rickson said that tentative arrange
ments had been made to use
the Federal jail until the city could
build one.
The City Clerk was authorized to
employ additional part-time cler
ical assistance to help over the tax
collecting, auto license .-"tiling, and
sales tax collecting palod.
The m'.cter of licensing card
tables came up and was referred
to the police committee which will
meet to consider it and a night
watchman for the boat harbor
along with other matters.
Police were authorized to finger
print all persons arrested for other
than traffic violations.
The parking meter report for
December showed 170 violation tick
ets issued and $85 in fines collected.
Jorgenson recommended some en
forcement action on this and it
will be taken up at the police com
mittee meeting. The traffic code
provides that arrests be made be
fore noon of the day following the
violation. .
Rules of conduct and regulations
for the Police Department pre
sented by the Chief of Police, were
passed.
A report of city finances for
publication prepared by City Ac
countant C. J. Ehrendreich was
studied and laid over until the
next meeting which will be January
19.
WEATHER REPORT
Temperatures tor 24-Hour Period
ending 6:20 o'clock thla morning
In Juneau—Maximum, 36;
minimum, 23.
At Airport—Maximum, 37;
minimum, 26.
FORECAST
(Juneao and Vicinity)
Cloudy with light rain to
night and Sunday. Lowest
temperature tonight about 34
degrees. Highest Sunday
near 37. Southeasterly winds
as high as 25 miles per hour
decreasing Sunday.
PRECIPITATION
(Past 24 hours ending 7:30 a.m. today
City of Juneau—0.57 inches;
since Jan. 1 — 0.82 inches;
since July 1—38.81 inches.
At Airport — 0.27 inches;
since Jan. 1 — 0.43 inches;
since juiy i—28.83 inches.
STEAMER MOVEMENTS
Denali from Seattle due sometime
Monday.
Baranof scheduled to arrive from'
westward at 2 p.m. Sunday south
bound.
Princess Norah scheduled to sail
from Vancouver January 17.
Plaid cloth originated in Ancient
Egypt.
PETIT JURY TO
CONVENE MONDAY
IN U. S. COURT
A reargument as heard by Judge
Oeorge W. Folta in the case of
William Paul, Jr., trustee in the T.
Hutchings bankruptcy estate, versus
the B. M. Behrends Bank, Inc.,
this morning in the U. S. District
Court.
The petit jury will convene in
Court at 10 o’clock Monday morni
ing.
According to the calendar pre
pared in the office of the Clerk
of the Court cases set for next
wek are as follows: January 8, Red
Salmon Canning Co. versus Alaska
Industrial Board. Plaintiff is re
presented by the law firm Faulkner,
Banfield and Boochever and the
defendant by Attorney Henry Ro
den.
January 9, the case of Ernest
Paddy versus A. J. and E. Martin.
Attorney for the plaintiff is John
C. Dunn and for the defendant,
William L. Paul, Jr.
January 10 (tentative) the appeal
case of Gpjrge Hooks-' versus Paul
Sincic. Attorney W-uiam Paul, Jr.
represent": the appellant.
January 10, E. C. Austin, et. al.
versus E. Durham, a default case.
The law firm of Faulkner, Ban
field and Boochever represent the
plaintiff. \
January 11. The case of Oscar
Jensen versus Mr. and Mrs. Pc"_i
Talkington. H. D. Stabler repre
sents the plaintiff.
80 BILLION
$ BUDGET IS
SUGGESTED
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 — —
Senators; Douglas (D-Ill) and
Humphrey (D-Minn) called today
for an $80,000,000,000 federal budget
to help block Communist aggres
sion. They proposed a stiff new tax
increase to avert any borrowing.
Both lawmakers termed inade
quate and unrealistic a suggestion
by Senator Taft (R-Ohio) that it
might be possible to hold the bud
get for the fiscal year starting July
1 to within $65,000,000,000.
Taft, chairman of the Senate Re
publican Policy Committee, men
tioned that figure yesterday in a
Senate speech in which he attacked
administration plans for defense of
Western Europe.
He said that in his opinion it
would be possible to raise tax rev
enue to meet, ultimately, the bud
get he suggested.
Douglas and Humphrey said in
separate interviews that Taft
trained his sights about $15,000,
000,000 too low to provide the kind
of military protection they feel the
country should have.
The budget President Truman
submits to Congress about the mid
dle of this month reportedly will
call for around $75,000,000,000. He
already has said higher taxes will
be needed to pay for the contem
plated program.
Under the current tax program,
revenue will run about $45,000,
000,000, government officials esti
mate. That compares with the pre
vious record collection of $43,900,
000,000 in 1945.
The proposal of Douglas and
Humphrey to put an $80,000,000,000
budget on a pay-as-you-go basis
would call therefore for almost
doubling tax revenue.
Both Senators said they are con
vinced that sufficient taxes can be
raised to avoid deficit financing
under an $80,000,000,000 budget.
STREETS, SIDEWALKS
GLARE ICE THIS A.H.
Feet of pedestrians suddenly
skidding then flying into air as
bodies went bump; autos and trucks
skidding off streets into curbs,
others going up hills suddenly turn
ing around and heading down, was
generally noted this forenoon as
streets, washed clear of sand by the
rain, became glare ice. In other
words it was slippery for traffic,
wheel, foot, this morning until
street department trucks attempted
to sprinkle sand on sidewalks and
streets, especially in the hill sec
tions. Even then one had to watch
the step and vehicles proceeded
cautiously.
OVER SIX MILLION
6RANTED IN LOANS
TO TERR. VETERANS
More than $6,000,000 has been
granted in direct and guaranteed
bank loans by the Territorial Vet
erans Affairs to veterans in Alaska,
since the inception of that office
in 1946, it was announced by the
board this morning, in the final
session of its annual meeting today.
Well over half of the loans made
to veterans have been repaid, Rob
ert Ellis, chairman of the board
said. The loan experience has been
very good, he declared.
Action was taken by rhe board at
this morning’s session to set aside
a $220,000 -^kc for accounting
purposes
The ^oard disclose*-' mat cf the
6,000 veterans est’ nated to be
eligible for loans in the territory,
oven 5,000 have benefited under
the Veterans Affairs act.
No action had been taken today
by the board in the matter of Ross
Kimball of Fairbanks, whose at
torney, Albert White, appeared be
fore the board members, yesterday
in his behalf. Kimball claims ir
regular treatment by the board in
reference to process of. a veterans
loan.
•'We find that the complaints by
Kimball are without foundation and
do not- warrant any action on the
part of the board,” Ellis said.
Wallace Cathcart Jr. of Fairbanks
was elected chairman of the board
for next year. Attending the meet
ings are Cathcart, Robert Ellis of
Ketchikan and Embert Demmert of
Craig a member at large. John Hel
lenthal, board member from An
chorage and Pearse Walsh, recently
appointed as a member of the board,
of Nome, were unable to attend.
FRED WILT IS TO
RECEIVE COVETED
MEMORIAL TROPHY
NEW YORK, Jan. 6—(if)—Fred
Wilt, the FBI man who came out
of retirement to run in the 1948
Olympic Games, will receive the
coveted 1950 James E. Sullivan Me
morial Trophy for amateur athletes.
The 29-year-old graduate of In
diana, a former FBI agent in Se
attle, now running for the New York
Athletic Club, is national outdoor
5,000-meter champion and an
internationally - resf acted competi
tor at routes from a mile to 10,000
meters.
Wilt will receive the Amatuer
Athletic Union trophy at a lunch
eon here Feb. 18.
Joe Verdeur of Philadelphia, 1948
Olympic breast stroke champion
and one of the world’s outstanding
swimmers, was runnerup for the
second year in a row.
—
Veteran Alaskan,
Outside First Time
25 Years,' '1 Sleep
SEATTLE, Jan. 6—Wl—Bill Ham
mersley, veteran Alaska peninsula
fishing and hunting guide, is on h>s
first trip “outside” since he went
north 25 years ago.
But he is having trouble wit1- his
sleep.
“Can’t hardly sleep a doggone
wink in this town,” Hammersley
complained. "Too darn noisy. My
nearest neighbor up home is Shorty
Wilson and he lives 30 miles way.
Well, maybe only 25 miles. Anyway,
it’s quiet enough so a man can get
his sleep.”
$1 Share Dividend
On Common Slock
Declared by PAF
NEW YORK. Jan. fr—Pacific
American Fisheries today declared
a dividend of $1 a share on the
common stock, payable Jan. 31 to
stock of record Jan. 15. This brings
dividends for the current fiscal
year to *1.50 against *1 paid in the
preceding 12 months.
RAYNOR GOES THROUGH
Sid Raynor, manager of the
Lathrop interests in Cordova, went
through Juneau yesterday from Se
attle, connecting with the westward
j bound PNA flight here.
EISENHOWER
OFF TODAY
FOR EUROPE
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6—(AV-Pre
sident Truman told Gen. Dwight
D. Eisenhower today that he has
the "wholehearted backing” of the
United States and the other North
Atlantic Treaty powers in his mis
sion to weld western Europe's de
fenses against Communist aggres
sion.
Eisenhower met with the Presi
dent fo half an hour before tak
ing off for Paris and the first or
ganization steps looking to a uni
fied and stror ,er European Arm -d
Fore:.
The General told newsmen that
before going to the airport he also
would talk with W. Averell Harrl
man, special assistant to Mr. Tru
man m foreign affairs.
I
Joseph Short. White House press
secretary, said the President discus
sed the whole world situation with
the Supreme Allied Commander.
“In this conversation,” Short
added, “The President made it
plain to General Eisenhower that
he had the wholehearted backing
of the United States.
"The President also expressed
himself as being certain that Gen
ral Eisenhower had the same sort
of backing from the 11 other na
tions.”
Elsenhower is expected to tell
the Europeans that while the U. S.
is prepared to do its full share to
ward making western forces strong
enough to repel Communist aggres
sioh; their nations also will have
to do all within their power to
supply men, money and materials.
American officials so far feel
that the scope and speed of mili
tary preparations in western Europe
generally are far from adequate.
PRES. SIGNS
20 BILLION
DOLLAR BILL
I
_ I
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6—MP>—Pre
sident Truman today signed a $19.
841,412,938 emergency appropria
tion bill, boosting to approximately
$118,000,000,000 the total appropri
ations of the 81st Congress.
Most of the money in the emer
gency measure is for defense needs
arising out of the invasion of Korea
by Chinese Communists. Of the
total, $17,000,000,000 was earmarked
for the Army, Navy and Air Force,
boosting to around $45,000,000,000
the military appropriations for the
fiscal year ending next June 30.
Also included is contract authori
zation up to $224,000,000 for the
maritime administration to build
34 more high-speed cargo vessels.
The administration previously was
authorized to build 16 of these 20
knot ships.
Other big items include $1,834,
911,000 to buy critical materials for
a war stockpile and $1,065,000,000
for the Atomic Energy Commission.
The emergency measure was the
last money bill passed by the 81st
Congress which adjourned Tuesday.
ROTARIANS CALLING
ALL SHOW TALENT
FOR VARIETY SHOW
If there is any spare show talent
around loose in Juneau, the Ro
tarians are interested in corraling
it for its annual Variety Show, Dr.
I. J. Montgomery, co-chairman of
the event, announced today.
The program is lining up nicely
he reported but there is still room
for a few more acts. Anyone In
terested may contact him at phone
531. Dr. Earl Albrecht, co-chair
man. is out of town sc Montgomery
is in charge.
The date has been changed from
January 26 to a night earlier,
Thursday, January 25, Montgomery
said. This is to avoid conflict with
a basketball game in Douglas on
the 26th.
The theme of this year’s show is
j "anything can happen.”
ALASKA MAY
GET CONTROL
OF FISHERIES
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6 — (At — A
House subcommittee has recom
mended that Congress give serious
consideration to placing control of
Alaskan fisheries in the territorial
government if it does not grant
statehood to Alaska this year.
The subcommittee of the House
Fisheries and Merchant Marine
Committee held hearings in Alaska
on the fisheries problems in the
fall of 1949. Its report to the old
81st Congress, was made public to
day.
All the subcommittee members,
Reps. Wickersham (D-Okla), chair
man, John Allen Jr., <R-Calif>, Tol
lefson (R-Wash) and Delegate
Bartlett of Alaska, are also in the
82nd Congress now sitting.
The Alaska statehood bill ex
pected to be introduced next week
would turn over control of the
fisheries to the territory.
The subcommittee reported that
Alaska is the only territory which
does not have control of its own
fisheries.
Alaskans have sought to eliminate
fish traps In the territory and
Delegate Bartlett has Introduced
legislation which would do this
over a ten-year period.
"Your committee recommends
that the next Congress (the 82nd,
as the report was prepared two
weeks ago) should give careful
study to the question of vesting
control of the fisheries of Alaska
in the territorial government in
event statehood is not achieved,"
the committee said,
"Recent developments of all kinds
in the territory, including the estab
lishment of the Territorial Fish
eries Department and t£® Alaska
Fisheries Board, seem strongly to
justify a ce-ef'jl review of the ter
ritorial cortmi of the fisheries.”
RED HENNINGS CELEBRATE
25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY !
1
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Henr.ing will
be the honored guests at a dinner
this evening at the Country Club in
celebration of their silver wedding
anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Henning were mar
ried in Snohomish, Washington, 25
years ago today. A resident of Ju
neau the past 30 years Henning is
the owner of Hennings, mens fur
nishing store here. Mrs. Henning
came from Seattle after her gradu
ation from the University of Wash
ington 27 years ago as a teacher
of music in the Juneau Public High
School. Prominent Juneau residents
they are active in social and civic
affairs.
The Hennings have one child, a
daughter Anne Louise, 17, who is a
senior in Juneau High School.
KRISTANS RETURN
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Kristan and
two children, Dennis and Diane,
returned yesterday from a three
week’s business and vacation trip
down the west coast. They were in
Seattle, San Francisco and Los An
geles. They saw Allan Shattuck in
Seattle and attended the Rose Bowl
game at Pasadena New Year’s day,
| but are glad to be home, they said.
MISS DIMOND VISITS BROTHER
Miss Ann Dimond is visiting her
UroChFr John D., Dimond and
family. She is the daughter of
I Judge Anthony Dimond, U. S.
District Court, Third Division. Miss
Dimond has Just returned from a
Holy Year pilgrimage to Rome and
a three months tour of Europe and
is employed by radio station KENI,
Anchorage.
VISITS FRIENDS HERE
Capt. Harry Stinchcombe, USCG,
of Washington, DC., headquarters,
who ceme to Juneau in connection
with the Coast Guard hearings on
the loading and handling of Class
A explosives, is remaining over a
day or two to visit old friends. He
was stationed here in the early ’40s
on the cutter Halda.
HELLENTHALS ON TRIP
Mr. and Mrs. Simon Hellenthal
left on the Princess Norah for the
states. They plan a vacation trip
down the Pacific Coast.
AVALANCHE TODAY
About 10:45 this morning an av
alanche of water-soaked snow let
go its moorings on Mt. Juneau and
roared down a large ravine.
ARR READY TO FLY
EXPLOSIVES NORTH
IF IT'S NECESSARY
ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Jan. 6—<£)
—Manager J. P. Johnson said to
day the Alaska Railroad would con
tinue to operate despite Coast
Guard restrictions on handling of
explosives.
Johnson returned yesterday from
hearings at Juneau.
“If explosives cannot be obtained
by any other better meth'od," John
son said, “then the railroad is pre
pared to fly them to the Territory.”
Johnson said the Coast Guard
proposed anchoring explosive-laden
ships offshore and discharging
cargo with barges and tugs rather
than bringing vessels alongside
docks.
“Such a system," he said, “would
cost the railroad $500 a ton to
handle explosives. Further, tugs
and barges of the number and type
required are not available at
Alaskan ports."
The Alaska Railroad relies heavily
on explosives to keep its mainline
from Seward to Fairbanks open.
Officials said dynamite and blasting
powder are the only effective means
of combating slides and glacial
action.
The railroad uses more than 100
tons of explosives in a normal year;
in severe winters often double that
figure.
Power Appointed to j
Defense Fisheries
Administration
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6—</PI—The
Defense Fisheries Administration
appointed Edward A. Power chief of
its material facilities branch today
Power has been chief of commer
cial fisheries statistics for the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service since
1938.
The new branch will determine
the needs for materials to maintain
fish production.
Power is a native of Oak Harbor,
Whidby Island, Wash., and a gradu
ate of the University of Washing
ton. He formerly worked for the
Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska.
lidslaFped
ON FAIRBANKS
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Jan. 6 —,
UP)—Gamblers and prostitutes have J
been told to “cease operations" j
within 48 hours or face arrest.
The order came from Ted Mc
Roberts of Bethel, acting U. S.
Marshal. He said City Police and
the Alaska Highway Patrol had
promised to cooperate in the cam
paign.
The gambling ban threatened a
setback to city revenues. City Man
ager Irving H. Call said the tax
return on slot and pinball macn
ines and card tables netted tflf
l city $3,035 during the past throe
months, and had averaged more
than $3,000 a month prior to Oct
ober.
Slot machines, dice, “pan” and
poker games come under his gamb
ling ban.
"I am not in this office for any
political reasons,” he said in an
nouncing the action. “I answer only
to the Department of Justice for
the conduct of my office.”
He emphasized the cleanup was
not to be a temporary affair but
to "last during my office tenure."
McRoberts is succeeding Stanley
Nichols, whose resignation became
effective Jan. 1. Permanent ap
pointment of Frank Barr to tfte
job is being awaited “through
channels.”
The city has been collecting a
flat fee of $50 per slot machine
per month; $25 per “pan” table
and $35 per poker table.
Under Federal'law, gambling vlo
"ators are subject to a $500 fine
and six months imprisonment. Max
imum punishment for violation of
the city’s vice ordinance is $100
fine and 30 days in Jail.
The new Marshal said his action
against vice is not confined to
Fairbanks and vicinity but that the
same policy will be followed in out
lying districts.
SKAGWAY VISITOR
Paul Frost of Skagway is a guest
at the Gastineau Hotel.
AIRFIELD
AT SUWON
GIVEN UP
Commies Sickle Hub Road
at Wonju in Double
Offensive Thrust
By OLEN CLEMENTS
TOKYO, Jan. 6—(/PI—Red armies
hammering southward from Seoul
forced abandonment of the big
Allied airfield at Suwon Saturday
and slckled sharply towards the
road rail hub of Wonju in a double
offensive thrust.
The Suwon field, 17 air miles
south of Seoul, was abandoned at
3:15 p.m., Saturday (10:15 p.m.,
PST) Friday as the sounds of small
arms and artillery fire drew closer.
(Location of the fighting front was
not disclosed, apparently for secur
ity reasons.)
The town of Suwon, 20 miles
south of Seoul, was reported intact
and still in' United Nations hands.
Cut Off Retreat
In the companjhn drive against
Wonju, 55 miles southeast of Seoul,
the Reds were aiming to cut off
the southeastward retreat route of
the Allies.
Red China’s troops and their
satellite North Korean ally fought
under new orders of Premier Kim
11 Sung to “pursue, surround and
destroy the enemy units ’’
Pound Enemy for Kill
The strategy Is timeworn in mili
tary annals and fits the hammer
and sickle design: pound the enemy
into an encircling trap for the kill.
Allied troops still fought stoutly,
however, against overpowering
force, and still have maneuvering
space.
The mass of seven Red China
armies—210,000 or more troops—
thrust close to Wonju.
Allied artillery and Red mortars
dueled for the city’s airstrip. Smoke
and dust plumed into the sky. Com
munist rifle fire crackled from the
western hills.
But A.P. Correspondent William
C. Bernard said Allied defenders
still fought north of the key city
at nightfall Saturday.
Allied Line Pounded
While the Reds cut through
Wonju’s outer defenses, the Com
munists pounded at both ends of
the Allied line across South Korea.
One hammer force hit south of
the twice-lost capital of Seoul, strik
ing toward Suwon and its aban
doned airfield. Allied troops slam
med a leading force of 1,000 Reds
to a stop after a fight that raged
throughout Saturday morning 10
miles south of Seoul. Allied artil
lery chewed through the Communist
ranks, but survivors dug in, wait
ing for the Reds' main western
force massed east of Seoul.
4 Regiments Plunge
The other hammer force pounded
in four regiment strength—12,000
men—south of Yongpo on the
eastern front. Yongpo, on the Sea
of Japan, is about six miles south
of the parallel 38 border.
The Eighth Army is pulling back
into new defense lines set deep in
South Korea.
-Trucks and Jeeps, massive British
Centurian tanks and the smaller
but deadly American Pattons,
armored cars, bulldozers, tractors,
tank carriers, big cranes—all rolled
down the highway. And with them
came the bulk of Eighth Army
troops in western Korea, retreat
ing with a rear guard shield.
The Communist sickle of massed
armies could sweep southwest once
Wonju falls and cut the escape road
for Allied troops leading to the old
Pusan beachhead.
The Communist masses threat
ened to pin the Eighth Army's
western force against the Yellow
Sea.
Sub-Freezing Temperatures
The retreating GI's are plagued
by sub-freezing temperatures and
frozen dust. As one AP Correspon
dent puts it:
"Dust caked the face, clogged the
nose, turned eyes into watery red
slits and filled the mouth with so
much sand you felt your teeth
were wearing away.”
U.S. mortar positions north of
Wonju were overrun this morning
by white-robed Communist troops,
camouflaged for fighting in the
snow. The Americans’ own guns
were turned against them.