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Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS . American Troops Taking Beating In Korea; Mobilization of U. S. Manpower and Industry Forecast (EDITOR'S NOTE: Wbrn opinion. r iprcrd In these eolomns, hey ar. thai. l Wrstrrn Nrwapapcr Union's news analysts and not neesssarilr of Ihla nwspar.) Korea Commander J ,fSBl. ,.v.v.. v.. JAW -...s.vu&.ltif 14. General Walton II. Walker, Walk-er, s tank expert from Texas and commander of the Eighth Army, Mas been named to the top command post In Korea. Walker gained fame as commander com-mander of the 20th corps In I'atton's Third Army. KOREA: Gl's Take Beating As the Korean battle went into the fourth week it became apparent to every American that U.S. troops were taking a beating. They were outnumbered; tanks were inferior and too few; guns and bazookas could not pierce the 12-inch armor of the Russian made tanks. They were pinned to foxholes fox-holes by tanks, artillery and mortars; mor-tars; overwhelmed by massed infantry, in-fantry, sniped at from the sides and rear by infiltrating columns. Taejon, provisional capital of South Korea, was abandoned after the Kum river line was broken by thousands of fanatical Communists wno charged American positions without regard to casualties. They overran first aid stations, killing patients and chaplains, and for every one the Americans killed, ten took his place. MOBILIZATION: Is It Near? Many observers are wondering if complete mobilization of this country's manpower and industrial strength is in prospect for the near future. Some believe it is, unless the world situation takes a sudden and unexpected turn for the better. Within a matter of hours after this writing, President Truman was expected to go before congress and outline for the American people steps deemed urgent to cope with the Korean war. He was also scheduled sched-uled to speak over a nation-wide radio hookup and tell Americans just where we stand. One official predicted the President Presi-dent would: 1. Request new military funds or contract authorizations totaling $5,000,000,000 to $0,000,000,000. 2 Propose legislation authorizing 160,000 more men for the army above the present legal limit of 837,000 and 60,000 more for the Navy, which now cannot exceed ObG.882. An increase may also be ordered for the 502,000-man air force. American forces began a slow Withdrawal which appeared would halt some 35 miles southeast of Taejon where a range of hills offered of-fered a natural defense position. Whether or not they held this position posi-tion would depend upon reinforcements reinforce-ments and the continued flow of guns, tanks, and ammunition. No matter how optimistic a view an observer was inclined to take, the situation appeared serious. ser-ious. As has often been the case in the past, Americans greatly underrated under-rated North Korea's military strength and fighting determination. Facts of the situation Indicated: North Korea had 10 to 15 divisions 100.000 to 250,000 men, with replacements re-placements handy from the armies of Communist China when needed. At least 200 tanks, with replacements replace-ments also available from Russia, and almcst unlimited supplies behind be-hind the lines in Siberia and in Manchuria. United States would need eight full divisions, perhaps 250,000 men. The inadequate supply of tanks and heavy artillery in the Pacific would have to be remedied. The one bright spot in the picture was the work of the U.S. air force which had knocked out tanks, bombed and strafed troop concentrations concen-trations and supply lines, and driven driv-en the North Korean planes from the air. But military observers pointed out that air power will greatly increase in-crease the chances of victory, but the Korean war, as has been the case in all wars, will be won by the soldier who fights through mud and rain and cold and heat. The foot soldier has not been replaced with push-button warfare, as yet. HOME FRONT: Controls Likely Observers on the home front are predicting limited controls to back up an intensified military campaign in Korea. At this writing the controls had not been asked for, but observers pointed out that anti-inflationary action was becoming more urgent with each day. They predicted President Truman would ask for them within a very short time. A request for higher taxes, to cover an expected jump in military mili-tary spending, was held to be inevitable. in-evitable. Government officials were predicting pre-dicting privately that President Truman would ask congress: 1. Power to allocate by voluntary volun-tary means, or more drastic measures mea-sures if necessary steel and a few other basic metals. 2. Authority to put quantity ceilings ceil-ings on the production of automobiles, automo-biles, television and radio sets and other civilian products consuming large quantities of metal, so that the demands of these industries will not interfere with arms production or create a "gray market" in prices. 3. Restoration of consumer credit controls. By tightening up on easy-payment easy-payment credit for automobiles and other consumer goods, it is hoped that some of boom-level buying demand de-mand may be removed from the market. j McCarthy: Called a Liar Senator Joseph McCarthy, who has had more front-page publicity In the American press than any one man in a number of years, has made the front pages again, but not to his liking. The senator, stlU screaming charges of communism In the state department, was called a liar by three Democratic members of a senate investigating subcommittee. subcommit-tee. Reporting their conclusions from a four-month inquiry, they attacked the Wisconsin Republican in terms of harshness rarely used In the senate's history. They accused him of conscious falsehood and of serving serv-ing the interests of the Communists by raising baseless suspicion among the people of the country. They cleared every person McCarthy Mc-Carthy accused of being a Communist. LABOR: Mobilization Urged At least one labor leader, William Wil-liam Green, president of the American Federation of Labor, has demanded all-out preparedness for any eventuality, including moboll-zation moboll-zation of labor. "We find ourselves facing a situation situ-ation with the implication of a third world war .... If war is localized now, we know it is only a question of time until the inevitable happens. Only adequate preparedness can safeguard us," Green said. He added: "We cannot send our soldier to the fighting front without with-out training equipment and regular regu-lar supplies .... We must provide pro-vide quick transportation which will increase mobility .... There will be no side lines secure from bombing bomb-ing ... . There must be mobilization mobiliza-tion of labor." The Republican members of the subcommittee, Senators Hicken-looper Hicken-looper and Lodge, declined to sign the report. The Democrat members termed McCarthy's charges "a fraud and a hoax perpetrated on the senate of the United States and the American people " Their report said, in part: "They (McCarthy's charges) represent rep-resent perhaps the most nefarious campaign of half truths and untruth un-truth in the history of this republic. For the first time in our history we have seen the totalitarian technique tech-nique of the big lie employed on a sustained basis. "The result has been to confuse and divide the American people, at a time when they should be strong in their unity, to a degree far beyond the hopes of the Communists Com-munists themselves, whose stock Jn trade is confusion and division." SOVIET UNION: An Olive Branch Although no official announcement announce-ment has been made, it is believed Jn many quarters the Soviet Union has offered terms for settling the Korean war. It is a bloody and wilted wilt-ed branch the Russians are holding hold-ing out to the United Nations. After the sugar coating of diplomatic diplo-matic language is penetrated, it aeems Russia would be wiLing to call off the affair after China is stated in the United Nations. Electoral College In what observers believe to be one of the strangest line-ups in modern political history, the house killed, 210 to 134, the proposal that would have m a d e a presidential election more nearly reflect the popular vote. The senate approved the constitutional consti-tutional amendment last spring. The measure needed a twe thirds vote. Had it passed, It would have needed approval by states. |