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Show . . WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS , Reds Launch Offensive in Korea; U.S. Works on Japanese Treaty; Army Calls for 29,003 Draftees (EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expressed In these columns, they are those of Western Newspaper Union's news analysts and not necessarily of this newspaper.) -nORTH; KOREA"' r North Korean and Chinese Communist troops concentrated for another blow on C. N. forces below the 38th parallel. Chief concentration points were at Yonchon (1) and northwest of Seoul (2). A Red attack (3) northeast of Kumchon, pushed back the South Koreans more than a mile. Red patrols were near Kaesong (4) . South Korean troops fought a preliminary battle near Hyon (5) . Reds were also massed north of Chunchon (6). Generals Wait BIG FOUR: Conference Plan Some weeks ago the United States, Britain, and France proposed pro-posed that another big four conference con-ference be held in an effort to settle set-tle the many pressing world problems. prob-lems. After long weeks of waiting, the Russians replied. Officials would not reveal just what was in the Kremlin reply. It was evident, however, that the western powers were disappointed and that a big-four meeting was not closer than when it was first proposed. It was believed that Russia was not prepared for. any unqualified discussion of the many galling points of friction between the western wes-tern democracies and the totalitarian totalitar-ian Soviet system. It was also rumored that Russia wanted the western powers to accept ac-cept the Prague declaration which served notice that the Communist led nations of eastern Europe would not tolerate rearmament of western Germany. Russia was also reported to have taken the stand that Communist China would be represented before any discussion of the explosive situation in the far east could be undertaken. , No one in his right mind could believe that the United States would accept any of the conditions. Thus the conclusion that a big four conference con-ference is not likely in the near future. ACHESON: Production and Faith Secretary of State Dean Acheson gave the United States a prescription prescrip-tion for 1951 "production and faith". Acheson, in a radio interview, said we have the power to retaliate against any aggressor who attacks us and our friends and that power cannot be overlooked. "We expect to make ourselves respected and to deter aggression," he said. "The prescription which we need today is the prescription which Mr. Churchill gave to England in 1940 blood and toil, sweat and tears and may I add, faith faith in our country, faith that the great task before us can be done and that it will be done." Acheson's statement was remarkable remark-able in that he echoed a growing belief throughout the country. Americans who had been described as frightened and frustrated in 1950 seemed to be settling down quickly to a new year of sacrifice and determination. deter-mination. The last few months have been called America's darkest hour, but they may be even darker before the United States is fully rearmed and ready to face its enemies. TRAFFIC: A War at Home While American troops were being be-ing killed in Korea, Americans at home slaughtered themselves on the highways during the Christmas and New Years' holidays. Complete tabulations were not complete for the New Years' holiday, holi-day, but during Christmas there were 724 violent deaths in the United Unit-ed States, 545 of them in traffic mishaps. The accident rate was more than 100 above the number of persons killed in traffic accidents during the 1949 Christmas holiday. The 1950 toll almost equaled the record of 555 set in 1936. In the city of Los Angeles alone there were 11 traffic deaths. 900 injured, and a total of 1,084 accidents. acci-dents. It was significant to note that police in that city charged 352 persons with driving while intoxicated intoxi-cated and another 1,222 were charged with drunkenness. Only one state South Dakota escaped without a single reported fatality that could be attributed to the Christmas observance. Witness KOREA: The Story Repeated The story of the Korean battle seemed to repeat itself. Forced to withdraw from North Korea after pushing the Communists out of South Korea and almost to. the Man-churian Man-churian border, U. N. forces received re-ceived the full force of Chinese and North Korean troops as they plunged south of the 38th parallel. U. N. troops gave ground and further retreats appear in store for them. The main feature of the attack at-tack was the overwhelming numbers num-bers of Chinese and North Koreans rushing U. N. defense positions. At least 200,000 men were thrown into the first attack. The Communist plan for the conquest con-quest of South Korea was to separate sepa-rate the eastern and western sections sec-tions of the defense line, isloate them and then destroy them at will. Meanwhile, observers who recently recent-ly returned from Korea report the morale of the soldier at the battle-front battle-front much better than that on the homefront. Americans at home were pictured as frightened, frustrated, and swept with recurrent waves of defeatism de-featism and despair. The men in battle were pictured as neither frightened nor discouraged. There was no criticism of American Ameri-can leadership in the war or critic-Ism critic-Ism of the fighting ability of any nation's troops. ' ARMY: New Call Issued The army called for 80,000 draftees draft-ees in March, raising total draft quotas to 450.000 since the Korean outbreak. Eighty thousand had already al-ready been scheduled for January and February. With the armed forces building toward a manpower total of some 3 million as rapidly as possible, the army anticipated a combat strength equivalent to 24 divisions when the current expansion goal is reached next July 1. An infantry division numbers 18,-000 18,-000 men and is a self contained fighting unit with supporting weapons such as tanks and artillery. ar-tillery. At the beginning of the Korean Ko-rean conflict the army had 10 divisions, divi-sions, only one at full war strength. It had 11 regular divisions, with four national guard divisions and two guard regimental combat teams (usually 5,000 men) as of January 1. Selective Service officials report-i report-i ed 217,000 men had been delivered to the army up to January. TAXES: Higher in 1951 With the new congress In session, ses-sion, President Truman was expected ex-pected to ask for more taxes at any moment to meet the mounting cost of the nation's defense. Although the size of the new tax program was not disclosed, one adminisration official reported the President would try to put the government gov-ernment as nearly as possible on a pay-as-you-go basis. The program, however, will include higher personal per-sonal and corporation levies. It seems unlikely that a new tax program can bring expenditures and receipts into balance because spending for the fiscal year 1951 maj reach $75,000,000,000. The present pres-ent tax program, including the excess-profits tax, will yield revenues of only about $45,000,000,000. Maj. Gen. Doyle O. Hickey, chief of staff, and Gen. Douglas Doug-las MacArthur are shown keeping keep-ing a somber vigil at Haneda airport for the arrival of the body of Lt. Gen. Walton H. Walker, late commanding officer offi-cer of the 8th V. S. army, who was killed in an accident in Korea. Ko-rea. Walker's body was being sent to the U. S. for burial in Arlington cemetery. JAPAN: U.S. Plans Treaty The United States made it clear, if in a round-about way, that Japan will get a peace treaty. The U. S. handed Russia a note that said in effect that this country was going to negotiate a treaty without Russia Rus-sia if necessary. The important item in the note from the American viewpoint was the paragraph that stated: The United States believes it is reasonable reason-able for Japan, upon conclusion of a peace treaty, to make arrangements arrange-ments for self-defense which could "include provision for the stationing station-ing in Japan of troops of the United States and other nations." In other words, the U. S. made it clear that Japan would be allowed to rearm and that this country has every intention of keeping Japan in the democratic column. The note let fly with a haymaker by stating that rearming Japan was necessary because "irresponsible "irrespon-sible militarism has not been driven from the world." The note told the Russians that the Formosa question must be settled in the light of the U.N. charter, "the obligations of which prevail over any other international internation-al agreement." This appeared to be a diplomatic way of telling the Soviet that the U. S. does not consider itself bound to hand Formosa over to the Chinese Chi-nese Communists whose armies are fighting U.N. forces in Korea. CASUALTIES: Total at 38,325 As of January 1 the army had announced casualties in the Korean fighting totaling 38,325. That was an increase of almost 2,000 over the previous casualty list. The number of dead mounted to 6,432, including 5,742 killed in action, ac-tion, 684 who died of wounds and six dead among those who bad been reported missing. There were 27,012 wounded, including in-cluding the 684 who later died of their injuries. The number of missing miss-ing were listed at 4,753. Of the total, the army suffered 32.066 casualties, the marines 5,-524, 5,-524, the navy 429 and the air force 306. Mrs. Ann Moos Remington, ex-wife of former commerce official, William Remington, testified in federal court that seven years ago Remington turned over "top secret" explosives ex-plosives formulas to confessed spy Elizabeth Bentley for transmission trans-mission to Russia. Remington is. being tried for perjury. MARSHALL: Let's Go Easy Secretary of Defense George Marshall Mar-shall warned the nation in the closing clos-ing days of 1950 to go easy, that "a too rapid attempt at mobilization was apt to delay the ultimate speed" of rearmament. Marshall said that there is "a tendency to feel that the more rapidly we appropriate billions and the more rapidly men are called into service, the safer we will be." That isn't true, he explained. |