Evening star. [volume], May 31, 1952, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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W«ath«r Forecast
Cloudy with light rain or drizsle this aft
ernoon and tonight; low tonight n£ar 62.
Tomorrow, mostly cloudy and somewhat
warmer. (Full report on Page A-2.)
Midnight, 59 6am 58 11 a.m. ...65
2am 58 8 am. ___s9 Noon 67
4 am. 58 10 am. ___62 1 pm. ___6B
100th Year. No. 152. Phone ST. 5000
Eisenhower Off
For U. S.; Lands
Here Tomorrow
General Is Jovial as
He Boards Plane
At Paris Airport
By th» Associated Pratt
PARIS, May 31.—Gen. Eisen
hower took off for the United
States and a possible political fu
ture today after nearly a year
and a half as the Western world’s
top soldier in Europe. His plane
left the Orly Field runway at 9:04
a.m. (EDT).
He is scheduled to arrive In
Washington at 4 p.m. EDT to
morrow.
To keep that time schedule he
will have a few hours lay-over to
Picture on Page A-3
rest enroute, probably in Gander,
Newfoundland.
In a brief farewell address at
the airport, the general declared:
“Mrs. Eisenhower and I are
leaving this wonderful country
and hospitable people not only
with a feeling of regret and grati
tude but with a feeling of confi
dence that the glory of France
is again on the rise.”
Farewells Are Jovial.
He spent about 15 minutes at
the airport in a last jovial good
bye to the Allied officers and their
wives from supreme headquarters.
He is to spend the night in
Stephenville and will be given a
ceremonial welcome by his mili
tary colleagues and political back
ers on arrival in Washington.
The general reviewed an honor
guard of French troops, accom
panied by his successor as su
preme commander, Gen. Matthew
B. Ridgway, and French Defense
Minister Rene Pleven.
Roses for Mrs. Elsenhower.
Mrs. Eisenhower, dressed in a
red suit and Mack hat. wort the
“wings” of honorary commander
of the four-engined Constellation
on which they flew home. When
airport employes prei *hted her a I
bouquet of roses, she thanked
them heartily and wiped a tear
from her eye.
Riding on the plane with the
Eisenhowers were:
Maj. Gen. Howard Snyder, Gen.
Eisenhowfr’s personal physician,
and Mrs. Snyder; Chief Warrant
Officer John Good, secretary;
M/Sergt. Leonard Dry, chauffeur;
M/Sergt. John Moaney. orderly.
These four members of the Army
will remain on Gen. Eisenhower's
personal staff for the present.
Lt. Col. Craig Cannon, aide-de
camp. who will return to Europe
and has been assigned to a com
bat engineer battalion in Ger
many; Capt. John Whitehurst, in
charge of the general’s household,
who will return to SHAPE as spe
cial services officer; Miss Rose
Woods. Mrs. Eisenhower’s secre
tary and companion.
Ridgway to Get Plane.
Gen. Eisenhower’s plane, the
Columbine, named after the State
flower of Colorado, Mrs. Eisen
hower’s home State, will return to
Paris for the use of Gen. Ridgway,
under a different name. Maj. Wil
liam Draper is pilot.
Yesterday Gen. Eisenhower
turned over to Gen. Ridgway the
job he began more than a year
ago—building up the forces of 14
nations into a defense line against
Red aggression.
As he relinquished his North
Atlantic command in a brief
ceremony on the front lawn of
Supreme Headquarters outside
Paris, Gen. Eisenhower told'Gen.
Ridgway “it is now my proud duty
to turn over to you the finest
headquarters I have ever seen.
The task is now yours.”
About 400 officers and their
families gathered to watch the
ceremony held beneath the flags
of the 14 NATO nations.
Pofafo Wholesaler
Enjoined on Prices
A District Court judge today
ordered a produce wholesaler to
stop selling potatoes above ceiling
prices until an OPS accusation
against the firm can be heard
June 9.
The restraining order was issued
by Judge Burnita Shelton Mat
thews against Constantine N. Pap
pas and Leon N. Pappas, who
operate Pappas Brothers in the
400 block of K street N.W.
On OPS suit against the firm
charges that potatoes were sold
at $7.28 a hundred pounds—sl.22
above ceiling. The suit also said
“tie-in” sales of other vegetables
were made, but the other vege
tables were not delivered.
The suit asks treble damages
and an injunction against the
wholesaler. It is part of a series
of suits being filed through the
Nation by OPS in an effort to hold
above-ceiling sales of potatoes
while they are scarce.
Laughton Makes It
To London on Plane
By Associated Press
LONDON. May 31.—Charles
Laughton, who started from New
York to London by plane six days
ago, finally made it last night.
The rotund actor’s first plane
got 300 miles over the Atlantic,
developed engine trouble and
turned back. He then took a plane
that had to stop at New Found
land for repairs.
Mr. Laughton, who came here l
to visit his 85-year-old mother,
Plan to Take G. O. P. Delegates
To Visit Eisenhower Protested
National Organization Won't Pay Expenses,
Backers Say After 'Near Bribery' Charges
By Iks Associated Press
Gen. Eisenhower, homeward
bound today, was flying straight
into an angry political squall
kicked up by a plan for Republi
can convention delegates to visit
him, expenses paid.
Protests against the plan’s no
cost feature arose from the politi-
Other Political Stories, Pago A-3
cal manager of Senator Taft of
Ohio, who holds a delegate lead
over Gen. Eisenhower in the tight
Republican presidential nomina
tion race. The campaign manager
for Senator Estes Kefauver, Ten
nessean who leads Democratic
candidates, also protested.
The howls of political pain went
up yesterday, shortly after Eisen
hower-for-President headquarters
here disclosed that every Repub
lican national convention delegate
had been invited to call on the
general in any of three places—
Gen. Eisenhower’s hometown,
Abilene, Kan.; New York, or Den
ver. A headquarters spokesman
said expenses would be footed by
local, not national, Eisenhower
organizations, if not borne by
delegates.
. Rival Camps Criticize Plan.
Before Eisenhower Committee
backers denied that the national
organization would pay for a
thousand or more visits to their
candidate, Taft and Kefauver
headquarters blasted the plan.
Gael Sullivan, Kefauver man
ager, called the plan “gross
bribery.” He said the Justice
Department should investigate to
determine “the extent of violation
of the Corrupt Practices Act.”
This’Federal statute defines per
missible practices in political
campaigns.
David S. Ingalls, national chair
man of the Taft-for-President
Committee, said in a statement:
“The plan comes pretty close
Virginia Convention
Os Republicans Opens
With Taft in Control
Eisenhower Supporters
Are Hoping to Capture
Four Delegates-at-Large
' By Atex R. Preston
Star Staff Carrupanctent
ROANOKE, Va.. May 31.—The
largest, most enthusiastic Repub
lican State convention in Vir
ginia’s history opened here today.
Forces behind Senator Taft for
President were in control of key
positions, but supporters of Gen.
Eisenhower hoped to capture the
four remaining delegates at large
to be selected to go to Chicago.
Republican supporters of the
Ohio Senator chalked up a pre
liminary victory, however, even
before the convention got to work.
Three Taft Delegates Seated.
That victory came last night at
a meeting of the State Central
Committee, which voted to put
the names of three Taft-favoring
delegations- on the temporary roll
of the convention over three con
testing pro-Eisenhower slates-
These were delegations from
Richmond and adjacent Henrico
County—a part of the 3d con
gressional district whose two na
tional delegates are in dispute—
and the Central Virginia county
of Amherst.
Eisenhower supporters’still have
a chance —an admittedly slim one
—to be seated, if they can plead
their cases successfully before the
convention’s credentials commit
tee.
Senator Taft held an eight-to
one lead over Gen. Eisenhower in
committed delegates of Virginia’s
total of 23 before the convention
opening.
Six delegates already named are
uncommitted, two are in dispute
and two remain to be named in
the 7th district.
Will Name State Chairmen.
In addition to electing the dele
gates-at-large, the convention
also will name a State party
chairman—either present Chair
man Robert H. Woods, a Taft
man who is running for re-elec
tion, or State Senator S. Floyd
Landreth, who has not publicly
expressed his presidential pref
erence.
Mr. Woods, a candidate for one
of the delegate-at-large posts,
predicted confidently that Vir
ginia would be in the Republican
(See VA. G. O. P.. Page A-3.)
U. S. Flyer Killed as Jet
Dives in Mediterranean
>By Iht Auoc iated Bra**
WIESBADEN, Germany, May
31.—An F-84 Thunder jet from
Germany crashed into the Medi
terranean near Tripoli last Thurs
day and the pilot was lost, the
United States 12th Air Force an
nounced here today.
First Lt. Eugene L. Cooley, 26,
Dayton, Ky., a member of the
86th Fighter Bomber Wing at
Neubiberg airbus* was identified
as the pilot.
Jews and Arabs Clash
AMMAN, Jordan, May 31 (AP). —
Jewish and Arab border guards
were reported to have clashed
yesterday in the Ramallah district
on the line which divides Palestine
between Israel and Jordan. Arab
Legion headquarters here said
W\t Itienitra §tar
V S J V WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION L/
** s WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, MAY 31, 1952—THIRTY-SIX PAGES.
to efforts at bribery and is only
one example of the money poured
by Wall Street into the Eisen
hbwer campaign."
Eisenhower headquarters Called
Mr. Ingalls’ statement “false and
vicious.”
Final Days in Uniform.
Meanwhile, plans were laid for
Gen. Eisenhower’s final days in
uniform as the organizer of Allied
defenses against communism in
Europe, and his first days as an
ex-commander in the midst of a
hot political struggle.
Gen. Eisenhower indicated he
wants to make the change by
degrees. In Paris, as he was
packing to leave, he told re
porters:
1. He would keep his uniform
on during his journey home and
during conferences in Washing
ton. After his official conferences
end late Tuesday, he said, he will
put on civilian clothing.
2. “If I am called as standard
bearer of a political party, at that
moment my resignation (of his
commission as an Army officer)
will be in the hands of the Pres
ident.”
3. .He reiterated that he would
not campaign for nomination.
His headquarters here said that
meant he planned no transcon
tinental speaking tours.
Elaborate Welcome Plano-
Elaborate plans were laid by the
military for Gen. Eisenhower’s
official welcome home at National
Airport around 4 o’clock tomor
row afternoon.
It was previously announced
that Gen. Eisenhower would be
taken almost immediately to see
President Truman at the White
House, and would confer again
with the President before leaving
for Abilene late Tuesday.
The general will make an ad
dress from Abilene Wednesday
over a Nation-wide radio-TV
hookup.
Taft and Eisenhower
Forces Swap 'Smear'
Blasts in South Dakota
Ex-Gov. Mickelson Admits
His PurirYirtp Cost Was
Borne by Committee
By Associated Pr.ss
PIERRE, S. Dak., May 31.
Alleged “smear” tactics and an
expense-paid trip to Paris became
hot issues today in the bitterly
fought contest for South Dakota’s
14 Republican presidential nomi
nating delegates.
Former Gov. George T. Mlckel
son was the central figure in the
newest outbreak in intra-G. O. R.
warfare. He is heading a slate of
delegates running for Gen. Eisen
hower against a slate backing Sen
ator Taft of Ohio in next Tues
day’s presidential primary.
Mr. Mickelson told the Asso
ciated Press, in reply to charges
leveled by David S. Ingalls, Sena
tor Taft’s campaign manager, that
the National Eisenhower Commit
tee had picked up the transporta
tion check for his recent visit to
the general in Paris.
Doesn’t Know Amount.
Mr. Mickelson said he doesn’t
know what total expenditure was
involved but that he spent S3OO of
his own money.
Mr. Ingalls had brought up the
question of Mr. Mickelson’s ex
ses on a trip that produced a
statement by the former Governor
that Gen. Eisenhower supports %
program of farm price supports.
The farm vote in the South Da
kota primary could be a decisive
factor.
Mr. Mickelson denied emphat
ically that any South Dakota Re
publican delegate elected in the
primary will have a free ride to
talk to Gen. Eisenhower in Denver
or any other stopping place after
the general takes off his uniform
next Tuesday to become a civilian
candidate for the presidential
nomination.
Calls Plan Bribery.
Leaders in some States said
such a program of expense free
trips to consult with Gen. Eisen
hower is in the works for their
delegations.
Mr. Ingalls declared in a Wash
ington statement yesterday that
the purported plan for the trips
“comes pretty close to efforts for
bribery.” Mr. Mickelson said he
doesn’t know about that but he
believes there is a definite effort
in the primary campaign here “to
viciously smear” the general.
25 of 31 Wet Days This Month
Put Rainfall Inch Over Average
The weather this month has
been wet—as everyone knows— i
with rain during 25 out of 31 i
days. I
Average precipitation for May.
the month of flowers, is 3.70 :
inches. Washington has had about ;
an inch more than that this :
month, and before it ends at mid
night, will have received still
more.
Except for last Sunday, no one 1
day has been what you’d call sat- :
urated. Sunday, though,. poured
1.06 inches over the Capital in 40 i
minutes. Hie day’s total was 1.60. i
The days the clouds took it easy i
were May 3. 7, 14, 22. 27 and 28. I
No rain at all on those days. On 1
Reds Order Out
43 Families From
Berlin Suburb
Tension Mounts
As Police Tighten
Zonal Restrictions
By 4ha Associated Prill
BERLIN. May 31.—Communist
police abruptly seized the hamlet
of Buergerablage on the fringe
of West Berlin today and ordered
its 43 families to get out of their
homes. Western authorities here
said.lt was part of the Commu
nist program to seal Berlin off
from the surrounding Russian
zone.
As part of the increasing Com
munist pressure in the campaign
against the newly signed West
German peace contract, the Rus
sians also turned back Allied pa
trol cars on the Berlin-Helmstedt
Autobahn for the sixth straight
day. West Berliners feared a new
blockade was lr the making.
Families Ordered Out.
Buergerablage lies just within
the Russian zone, but adminis
tratively it belonged to the bor
ough of Spandau, in the British
sector. Suddenly this morning
the black-clad Communist Volks
polizei (People’s Police) appeared
and knocked on the doors of the
residents. The 43 families were
told to clear out. They were given
no reason.
The East German Communist
Government has announced it is
setting up a “security belt” along
the zonal border. It claimed this
was necessary to “keep out spies
and saboteurs” from West Ger
many. which this week signed
political and military alliances
with the West.
But nothing was said about
sealing off Berlin with a similar
no-man’s-land. Therefore, the
swoop on tiny Buergerablage came
as a surprise. West Berlin police
said the people there were told by
the Communist police they should
pack up and go to West Berlin—
•where you belong.”
Stir Hate Campaign.
Meanwhile, the Communists
whipped up a fresh hate cam
paign against free West Berlin
which might forbode new blockade
as well as border seizures. The
Russian - controlled ADN news
agency distributed a long article
charging that West Berlin wae “a
base of agents and black mar
keters.” It said Communist police
were frequently being attacked by
“agents and saboteurs” and that
the situation was intolerable. This
was apparently a buildup for new
restrictions against the city.
More than 100 miles to the west
the Communists also stepped up
their evacuations in the “security
belt” along the zonal border with
West Germany. There they
plucked another 40 families out
of the town of Hoetensleben and
shipped them off to the interior.
Road Traffie Normal.
Road traffic along the big super
highway connecting Berlin with
the free world was normal, but
Berliners awaited the invocation
tomorrow of an East German gov
ernment order requiring special
passes for Germans traveling in
the Soviet zone.
Their announcement said that
special passes would be required
of all travelers, and West Ber
liners feared that this might also
be applied' to trucks Tolling sup
plies and raw materials into the
city.
The West meanwhile awaited a
reply to a stiff protest submitted
yesterday to Soviet Gen. Vassily
I. Chuikov against the patrol car
ban and “obstructive measures”
taken by the East German gov
ernment.
Deputy United States High
Commissioner Samuel Reber, in a
note which was duplicated by the
British and French, demanded
that the cars be allowed to pass
and harassing tactics of the East
German government be stopped.
Reds Report U. S. Delegate
On Hand for Peiping Talks
By <tw Auocioted Pro**
HONG KONG. May 31.—The
Chinese Communist news agency
said today delegates from 15 coun
tries, including the United States,
have arrived in Peiping for the
preparatory meeting of Red
China's “Asian and Pacific peace
conference.”
John' Kingsbury, chairman of
the left-wing American-Soviet
Friendship League, was Identified
as the United States delegate.
Other countries represented by
the 35 delegates include Australia,
Burma, Korea. Mongolia. New
Zealand, Russia and the Viet
Minh.
11 other days, the Weather Bu
reau recorded a trace. The rest
of the month was wet enough to
be measurable.
The worst recorded May Wash
ington ever swam through was 63
years ago when 10.69 inches of
rain fell.
That year, 1889. was extraordi
narily damp. It also had the wet
test April, 9.13 inches, and the
heaviest November precipitation,
8.69, in the record books.
The Capital’s Junes are.gen
erally rainy, too. The average
one has 4.13 inches of min. This
one is starting out in traditional
fashion. Tomorrow’s forecast is
for scattered showers.
That Makes It Three Out!
West Could Beat New Blockade
Os Berlin, Gen. Clay Declares
Leader of 1948 Airli
Os Bonn Peace Coni
By *h« Auociated Pr*>«
NEW YORK, May 31.—The man
who broke the Soviet blockade of
Berlin with the historic airlift of
1948-9 says the West can whip
another one, if and when the
Russians impose it.
Gen. Lucius D. Clay, former
United States Military Governor
of Germany, noted the Soviet
Union is making menacing ges
tures in Germany but he does not
believe they are ready to make
war.
“It is always possible that they
would push us more than we would
take, but I doubt that.” he said.
“I think war will come only if the
Barrett Available
For Quiz Next Week,
Counsel Indicates
Ford Declares Client
Is Not Running Away
From Anything
By Jack Jonas
F’ormer Police Chief Robert J.
Barrett’s attorney indicated
strongly today that his client—
sought by Senate crime probers
and as a witness in a police trial
board base—would be available
next week to answer some ques
tions.
The lawyer. Charles E. Ford,
said Mr. Barrett “never ran from
a gangster or a gunman” and said
he does not believe he is running
away from anything now. He
said his statement could be taken
“as a hint” that the major might
be ready to answer some questions
next week.
Had Planned Checkup.
Earlier, the District Crime Com
mittee. unrelenting in its efforts
to find Mr. Barrett, indicated it
Would check into records of per
sons who may have had con
tact with him.
The crime probers want to talk
to Mr. Barrett about $17,400 which
a witness told the Senators he had
spent above the money that was
available to him from salary, cash
in the bank and his investments.
Failed to Appear at Hearing.
Mr. Barrett failed to show up
Wednesday for questioning at a
scheduled closed session.
Committee sources would not
confirm officially that records are
being scanned in an effort to
locate Mr. Barrett. But they have
said privately that even though
the investigative life of the com
mittee ends today, they will not
give up their efforts to question
the former chief.
When Mr. Barrett failed to ap
pear Wednesday, the committee
questioned one of its accountants,
Jerome J. Steiker, about what the
accountant had learned in his
investigation of Mr. Barrett’s
finances during a 33-month period
ending last September 30.
Police, meantime, still are look
ing into the case of Inspector Bev
erly C. Beach, suspended when he
couldn’t explain $18,300 which the
Senators said he received above his
acknowledged income.
Cheek on $2,900 Loan.
Police paid a visit Wednesday to
the home of Mrs. Mary Wyckoff,
widow of Sergt. Ernest F. Wyckoff.
It is believed they asked her about
a $2,000 loan which Inspector
Beach said he made to Sergt.
Wyckoff.
A cash deposit of SI,OOO, In
spector Beach said, represented
partial payment of that loan. He
made the explanation after first
telling the committee that the
money came as payment of a
loan made to his brother-in-law.
The new story was given after
the brother-in-law denied making!
the payment.
ift Urges Ratification
tract as Best Answer
Soviets are ready for war. I doubt
very much that they think they
can win such a war now. If they
had wanted a war and were pre
pared for it, we would have had it
in 1947.”
Gen. Clay left Germany in 1949
after directing the airlift which
dealt the Soviet Union a mighty
' psychological blow. He is chair
man of the board of the Conti
' nental Can Co. and also heads
the privately operated Crusade for
Freedom which supports Radio
' Free Europe's broadcasts.
The Russians today are making
' gestures which lead many to
think another blockade is in the
offing. But Gen. Clay feels they
are only using their regular tac
tics of terror and threat of war
to balk Western defense moves.
Right now the Russians are intent
upon keeping West Germany and
Western Europe from ratifying
the Bonn peace contract and the
European Army treaty.
Could Beat Blockade.
If they should clamp on a full
land blockade of Berlin, Gen. Clay
said, an airlift could beat it again.
“An airlift today would be even
simpler than the one we put on
then,” he said. “Our transports to
day have double the capacity. The
only consideration would be
whether the Russians would use
force against an airlift, which
would be an overt act leading to
war. I don't think they are ready
for that.
“As for Berlin, it is in better
shape today to withstand the
blockade than it was before. For
one thing, it has its own power
plant and is no longer dependent
upon the Soviet sector for power.
And I would assume that Berlin
has built up substantial reserves,
such as coal.”
Gen. Clay disclosed that in the
1948 crisis he once officially rec
ommended that the United States,
British and French governments
undertake sending a convoy down
the highway to Berlin. But he
accompanied this with a warn
ing: If this were undertaken, the
three powers would have to be
prepared to go to war, should the
Russians meet force with force.
The three governments turned
down the recommendation. In
retrospect, Gen. Clay can not say
whether the three-power decision
was a mistake.
“On the one hand, as it turned
out, we gained great prestige in
the free world by the way we broke
the blockade with the airlift,” he
observes. “On the other hand, if
the people of the United States
had been prepared at that time
to say they would go to war, we
would have found out then
whether the Soviet Union was
ready or willing to fight. I didn’t
think they were.”
Situation Different.
. But a blockade today would
have to be met in a different po
litical situation, he added:
“If, in fact, the Russians are
trying to create conditions which
will prevent ratification, obviously
the first and best answer would
be prompt ratification by the
United States and other powers.”
‘Tf, in the event of a blockade
now, we made a move to use force
without the concurrence of the ,
other countries, we frould arouse
their fears and destroy our own
chances to get ratification from
them. First, we must get the
ratification. The situation is dif
ferent from that of 1948. Then,
only Berlin was in question. Now
all Europe is at stake.”
m
Kuomintang Congress Set
TAIPEH, Formosa, May 31 (£”). (
—Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang 1
party will hold its first congress
on Formosa October 10, the party’s
central committee reported yes- '
iterday. Chiang presided at the :
committee meeting. ,
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Church News A-8-10 Obituary A-ll
Classified r -A-11-19 Radio-TV A-21
Comics A-20-21 Real Estate .B-l-14
Editorial A-4 Society B-12
Editl Articles A-5 Sports A-6-7
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Gen. Van Fleet Doubts
Foe Is Planning Early
Offensive in Korea
U. S. Armored Strength
Is Seen Offsetting Reds'
2-1 Troop Superiority
ly th« Associated Press •
SEOUL, Korea, May 31.—Gen.
James A. Van Fleet said today
Communist armies in Korea out
number United Nations forces 2
to 1 and “suffer for nothing for
( combat,” but he does not expect
. an immediate Red offensive,
t The United States Bth Army
commander at a press conference
Other Korean War Storiei. Page A-2
; took up Bth Army problems.
These ranged from the fighting
’ front to the troublesome ‘‘south
ern front” at Koje Island’s pris
oner of war compounds.
On Koje, Gen. Van Fleet said,
he believes the situation is under
control and the impending break
up of the huge 6,000 to 8,000 man
compounds into smaller groups
will be carried off without inci
dent.
Foe Builds Resources.
“It is true that the enemy has
taken advantage of the long stale
mate to build up his power and
resources,” the general said.
“We estimate now that the
enemy is two and one-half times
greater than the United Nations
in numerical combat strength.
“We estimate that he has a
two-to-one numerical superiority
in artillery.
“But he is inferior to us in tanks
and tank capabilities.
"We also believe that if the
enemy strikes again, he will use
all the air power at his disposal
and will use both fighters and
bombers to the best of his ability.”
Gen. Van Fleet said that any
new Communist push would be
met by the massed power of the
Bth Army and firm determination
to smash the Communist forma
• tions.
In saying the Reds "suffer for
nothing for combat.” the general
meant they t\ave all the equip
ment they need.
Explains His Reasoning.
Gen. Van Fleet made a formal
statement of the reasoning behind
. his belief that the Reds would not
begin an offensive soon.
He said:
“It is difficult for me to see how
the enemy could win.
“If I were the enemy. I would
be extremely reluctant to open a
major offensive and I would rec
ommend against it.
“The enemy must realize that
the Bth Army, with its trained
divisions, its massed firepower, its
mobility and its naval and air
support would make him pay a
disastrous price for any attempt
on his part for any major offen
sive.
“In my opinion the enemy is
still smarting from his major de
feats last spring, summer and fall,
and I do not think he wants to
repeat them.”
Could Easily Blunt Drive.
The general reiterated that the 1
Bth Army probably could stop 1
an enemy offensive more easily
than was done in the last major j
battles fought in April and May
of 1951. j
He said, however, every effort is i
being made to keep the American, i
United Nations and South Korean l
forces in the highest pitch of 1
training. j
Os the North Korean divisions. '
Gen. Van Fleet said, “If they lose
any more men I don’t see how
they can maintain their numbers.
“They have just about reached
the bottom of the manpower
barrel.”
Gen. Van Fleet said Red armies
In Korea have power only to
launch a “major limited offensive”
and are not strong enough to
drive U. N. forces into toe sea.
French Police
Hit Reds With
Series of Raids
Arms Are Seized
In Crackdown on
Party's Quarters
By the Associated Press
PARIS, May 31.—French police
cracked down hard on the Com
munists today with a series of
dawn raids on Red party head
quarters and offices throughout
the country. The Ministry of In
terior said arms and ammunition
were seized in a number of cities.
A raid on the headquarters of
the Communist-led General Con
federation of Labor in Toulon un
covered cases of cartridges loaded
.with buckshot, the ministry said.
Toulon was the scene last night
of bloody rioting in which several
police were injured.
Steel-helmeted police, armed
with submachine guns, pounepd
on Red offices throughout Par'*
in other simultaneous raids, axfl
searches in other sections were
still going on.
Red leaders apparently knew
they were coming, however, and
managed to burn most of their
documents and reports. Police
seized what remained.
Six Paris Groups Raided.
The Interior Ministry said six
Communist organizations had been
raided in Paris: The Central Na
tional Headquarters of the party,
the Union of French Women, the
Seine Department Federation
Headquarters of the party, the
Association of Fighters for Peace,
the Association of Former Franc-
Tireur and Partisan Fighters and
the Union of Republican Youth of
France.
“A considerable stock of black
jacks similar to those used in Wed
nesday night’s anti-Ridgway dem
onstrations” were found in the
Union of Republican Youth of
France Office, the ministry said.
Tear gas squads spearheaded
the raid on the party’s national
headquarters in Paris, leading to
speculation Communist diehard*
were barricading themselves in
headquarters rooms. Communists
barred the doors of some offices
and police had to call in lock
smiths or climb through windows.
Marks “Tough” Policy.”
3 day’s raids were the latest
in the government’s new
“get-tough” policy against the
Reds.
They followed the arrest earlier
; this week of France's No. I Red.
jJacques Duclos, now in prison on
: charges of plotting against the
j internal security of the state.
Duclos, secretary-general of
I France’s Communist Party, and
I hundreds of other Reds were ar
rested in connection with Wednes
day's bloody riots sparked by the
arrival of Gen. Matthew B. Ridg
way to take over Gen. Eisen
hower’s Allied command.
When police arrived at the
party headquarters in Paris to
day, Communist officials hastily
barred the door. A locksmith
was summoned to force the door.
At the same time a ladder was
raised from a truck so police
could force their way through a
window. All the building’s win
dows had iron shutters and were
barred from the inside.
Smash Into Labor Quarters.
Other police squads pulled up
in front of the headquarters of
the CGT and demanded entry.
When they were refused they
smashed open the door. Detec
tives went through the offices
seizing various papers.
It was the CGT which tried in
ivain to drum up a general strike
'ip protest against Duclos’ arrest.
At the headquarters of the
| “Fighters for Peace,” a Commu
nist-line organization on Rue des
jPyramides, police moved in with
out opposition.
The police backed up a 3-ton
! truck to the door of the main
Communist headquarters, and
; steel-helmeted officers began haul
ling small bundles of papers out
of the big stone building.
The police grabbed all photog
raphers the moment they arrived
on the scene and hauled them
away in a truck.
Duclos Is Transferred.
Duclos was moved last night
from Suresnes jail to Sante prison
in Paris after his lawyers claimed
the Red chief—a diabetic—was
ailfcig and needed his physicians’
care. They also handed over to
the appeals court a letter from
Duclos accusing the police, the
examining magistrate and the
public prosecutor of false arrest.
Police also have charged 156
other Communists or fellow trav
elers with plotting against the
state as a result of Wednesday’s
outbreak.
McCormick in London
LONDON, May 31 (jp)._Admiral
Lynde D. McMormick, NATO
naval commander in the Atlantic,
arrived by air today from Paris
for talks with British admiralty
leaders. He will go to the United
States next week.
Home Down Payment
Revision Is Explained
HOW MUCH CASH?—A remioe of
the regulation saying how much cash it
needed as down payment for a homo
is in the offing. Star Real Estate Editor
Robert J. Lewis discusses the pros and
cons of relaxing the regulation. Page
, ' l ' >