The news-review., March 23, 1961, Page 1, Image 1

U. of 0. Library
i'ngone, Oregon
mutary
Mm SPEED TOWARD
LAOS
Tight Secrecy
Blankets U.S.
Military Moves
WASHINGTON AP) One o strictest orders against providing
the tightest secrecv blankets since i anv information.
the Jvorean war was mrown over
official information about U.S.
military forces today as the diplo
matic crisis over Laos deepened.
Pentagon public relations offi
cials obviously were under the
Truck Weight
Law Upheld
By High Court
. The Oregon Supreme Court
. ruled Wednesday that a law fix
ing different maximum weights
for trucked commodities is consli
, tutional.
The decision came after an ap
peal by the Douglas County dis
trict attorney's office to a ruling
by Circuit Judge Eldon Caley, who
has since stepped down irom ine
bench.
Key figure in the case was Car
roll Marion Pyle of Rt. 1, Rose
burg. He was cited for driving a
truck loaded with a tractor. The
1 load was overweight by 2,100
! pounds.
Difference In Hauling
' District Judge Warren Woodruff,
who is also no loneer on the
bench, ruled against Pyle and fined
him S63 based on three cents a
pound for 2,100 pounds in excess
of the legal limit. Pyle during the
trial admitted all the facts, but
insisted the law was not consti
tutional because the penalty would
not have been so great if he had
been hauling logs, poles or pilings.
He appealed the decision to the
circuit court, where Caley on July
8, 1960, ruled the law violated the
U.S. Constitution 14th amendment.
He cited the passage which says:
"No law shall be passed granting
to any citizen or any class of citi
zens priviliges or immunities
which, upon the same terms, shall
not eqully belong to all citizens."
'Promote Common Good'
, He said in a memorandum that
the law was unconstitutional spe
cifically because it discriminated
in favor of log trucks.- The pean
ally if Pyle's truck imd been car
rying logs, poles or pilings would
have been only $25, Caley pointed
out. ,,
However, the Supreme Court s
opinion written by Justice Kenneth
' O'Connell said the legislature may
grant special benefits to one
branch of industry in order to pro
mote the common good.
U.S., Britain Offer
Reds Cooperation
GENEVA (AP) The United
States and Britain offered today
to cooperate fully with the Soviet
Union in a program for the peace
ful use of nuclear explosions.
The Western plan was outlined
at a 17-minute session of the nu
clear test suspension conference
by U.S. Delegate Arthur H. Dean,
who. presided.
Dean said the West is willing
to accept the same safeguards for
a peaceful uses program as it of
fered for a cooperative seismic
research program.
This meant the United States
and Britain were willing to lot
Soviet scientists inspect the blue
prints and insides of atomic de
vices used for nonmilitary pur
poses. Soviet scientists also would
be present when such devices
were used and be given the sci
entific data resulting from the
explosions.
End Of Market Slump Seen
In Boost Of Plywood Price
Plywood prices were boosted
sharply by a major Oregon manu
facturer Wednesday, the Associa
ted Press reports.
Observers said this might mark
the end of the slump which has
paralyzed the industry for months,
the dispatch stated. The manufac
turer, whose name was not re
vealed, raised the price of quar
ter-inch sanded AD stock $4 per
thousand board feet, to $68.
Ruth Of Orders
It was the second price increase
in Uie past month and came as
good weather produced a rush of
orders and enlivened construction,
During most of the winter. Oregon ' In fact there is no definite slabd
plywood producers have been quo-:ity at $64. However, indications
tuig $60, the lowest price in morel are good because of renewed ac
than 16 years. Other producers I ti its
are expected to follow, said the Up To $47 - Hi
AP. . Marke'I rends, lumber and ply-
1 j wood market report published in
The Weather
AIRPORT RECORDS
Partly cloudy tonight. Mostly
cloudy Friday with occasional rain.
High.it Itmp last 24 hours .
Lowot temp, last 7i hours
Highest ramp, any Mar. ('60)
Low.it tamp, any Mar. ('SO
Prtcip. lalt 24 hours
Pr.cip. from March 1
Pr.cip. from Stpt. 1
Exeats from Sept. 1 ..,
Sum.t tonight 4:2 p.m.
Sunrii. rmorrow, 4:10 a.m.
- "
Aimougn oispaicnes uum jiuiis
Kong described in apparent detail
the hastv departure o the big at
tack carrier Midway from that
British crown colony at the ap
Droaches to Southeast Asia. De
fense Department spokesman had
only a crisp "no comment" when
asked to confirm the report.
There was similar reaction to
all other questions concerning pos
sible movements of sea. air or
ground combat units.
The secrecy rule, however, ap
peared to apply only on combat
unit movements" or plans not on
the eftort to help the Laos gov
ernment by providing equipment
and trainmg personnel.
Reports, that the United Slates
is rushing more material to Laos
to assist that country's forces in
the campaign against Communist
backed rebels were not denied.
This included sending additional
helicopters and maintenance per
sonnel. Helicopters are highly use
ful in Laos where roads are prim
itive, airfields are few and poor,
and forces in an engagement are
usually small
The immediate aim of the Pen
tagon effort to shut off official
news of U.S. combat units seemed
to include:
1. To wait for the day's develop
ment in the efforts of the United
States and Britain to induce the
Soviet Union to enter sincerely
into peacemaking efforts.
2. To mark time until President
Kennedy makes an official policy
statement at his news conference
this evening.
3. To utilize one of the oldest
devices keep the other fellow
guessing.
If Washington refused to com
ment officially on the reports
from the far corners of the world,
Soviet diplomats co"ld not be cer
tain how much is true and how
much arises out of speculation.
Southeast Asia Treaty Organiza
tion nations could throw about 4,
000 battle-ready troops into Laos
in a short time after any decision
to help the royal government.
GOP Leaders Back
Kennedy On Laos
" WASHINGTON (AP) Republi
can congressional leaders pledged
today to stand behind President
Kennedy in whatever decision he
makes in Uie grave situation in
Laos.
Kennedy is expected to make a
major' U.S. policy statement later
in the day on me Laotian crisis,
possibly disclosing moves to
strengthen pro-Western govern
ment forces against Soviet-backed
rebels.
Sen. Everett M. Dirksen of Illi
nois and Rep. Charles A. Halleck
nf Indiana, the Senate and House
Republican leaders, told newsmen
they are hopeful the situation can
he resolved by peaceful negotia
tions.
They were asked if the Republi
cans would support putting U.S.
troops into Laos.
"Oh, we haven't gotten to that
stage at all." Dirksen replied.
Similarly, Halleck said that "We
are not that far down the road" in
seeking to resolve the crisis in the
tiny Southeast Asian nation.
Keasey-Calkins Rot-d
Annexation Vote Due
The polls for th. Keasey-Cal-kins
annexation .lection are lo
cated at th. horn, of Curler
Craig, 1572 NW K.asey Rd. and
will be open until 8:00 tonight.
At issue is th. proposed annex
ation of the area to th. City of
Roteburg.
A check with Roseburg area ply
wood producers today indicated
tnere are definite signs of a
strengthening market, but as ye',
there is very little to justify any
substantial price raise.
No Stability Y.t
One producer stated the market
is, in fact, quite strong, there is
a considerable amount of activity.
' hut the market is very selective
jas to specifications. He said it
I "as necessary to keep in constant
j contact with the market and to
I meet the competition,
So far as he knew there are no
i takers as yet at the $68 figure.
' Portland earlier reported the week
opened with a climb of $4 to $64.
The report listed sheathing a inch
CD as climbing $10 this year, on
the basis of current mill quota -
tions to the $90 range, or higher,
compared to 1959 s S15 ascent to
si 10 in the same period.
- "I Other advances were notpd by
- " the publication lor lumber. Sliind--
" ard and better random length
.10 jjicen Douglas fir 2v4's have ri-en
5-5' $6 or more since Jan. 1 to S67-S68
""las ii,, week opened, and were ris-
i ina. The market index has risen
; four weeks ilraight, the report
! stales.
i,
II mm inn hiiiihi W M,M'. ,lI.JaaiWa I'ltywiW'W lip
1 Him ii i r -n - r-'-mnii' Tii iiri'n mm ni i- --......j-,.... ...i
Established 1873
Cuban Exile
Leader Plans
New Revolt
NEW YORK (AP)-The- leader
of two major Cuban exile groups
pledges that the overthrow of Cu
ban Prime Minister Fidel Caslro
will end filing squads and bring
free elections within 18 months.
Jose Mil o Caixlona, 59, a lawyer
who served six weeks as premier
at the start of the Castro regime,
Wednesday announced formation of
a new "revolutionary council,
with himself as co-ordinator-gener-a'-
Favors Free Enterprise
The council consists of repre
sentatives of the Democratic Rev
olutionary Front, regarded as middle-of-the-road
and favoring free
enterprise, and the Revolutionary
Movement of the People, consid
ered left-wing but anti-Communist.
Cardona told a news conference
the aim of the council is to "over
throw the Communist tyranny
which enslaves the people of Cuba
and to reestablish moral peace
and harmony among all Cubans
No Dates Given
He gave no dale for any invasion
of the island but said: "The arms
which we have, and the arms
which we will have, will become
known when Castro feels their im
pact." Cardona also called for aid
from all exiled Cubans, including
other revolutionary groups, from
Canada to Patagonia."
In Havana, Castro termed Car
don's movement "a government
of puppets," and said ' Cuba must
remain alert against a group
of mercenaries."
Present At News Meet
The Revolutionary Movement of
the People is led by Manuel Ray,
former Cuban minister of public
works, while the Democratic Rev
olutionary Front is headed by Man
uel Antonio de Varona. Both were
present at Wednesday's session
with newsmen.
De Varona said Cuba is being
"infiltrated daily" by men and
supplies, adding: "We have the
forces necessary to overthrow Cas
tro." .. ..... ,; ...
Administrators Nix
School Grant Bill
Douglas County School Adminis
trators today announced they do
not support the controversial equal
ized flat grant distribution bill
the bill that would bile into the
county's O&C funds.
The announcement was made by
Kenneth F. Barneburg, county
school superintendent after he re
turned here from Salem. Barne
burg and four other Douglas Coun
ty administrators, Tuesday night
attended a hearing on school sup
port bills held by the Senate Kdu
cation Committee.
For Bill 480
Barneburg went on to explain
that, after a Tuesday morning
meeting of the county administra
tors at the offices of M. C. Deller,
Roseburg district superintendent,
the group came out in support of
Senate Bill 480.
The major difference between
480 and SB 447, which the admin
istrators are against, is that the
first would use 12'. per cent of
O&C funds as offsets to the
amounts the county receives in
state basic school support funds.
SB 480 does not.
Portland School District and the
Eastern Oregon districts joined
Douglas County in the support of
480.
Takes $500,000
The effect if 447 was adopted
would be to take away about half
million dollars yearly which
Douglas County receives from O&C
limber sales receipts
Barneburg presented the stand
for 480 and against 447. The hear
ing was attended by four other
county administrators, Kenneth
Sluart, superintendent of Kiddle
School District; Al N'eet superin
(ender.t at Myrtle Creek; Larry
.,.iucii, Canyonville superintend
ent; and William Lewellen, Days
Creek superintendent.
White House Denies
Secret Meet Held
.., ,,,. i The legislature ha passed two liking boxes to Mrs. Kennedy's
NEW ORh. (AP) The New;iaw, ihi., session which give the;,ite in the Hotel Carlyle.
York fost today quoiea auinorita -
live sources as saying i resioeni applications.
j Kennedy met secretly with Soviet j international Paper is also con
j Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko! si((.ring construction of plants near
insi wei-M-nu m u mini m Wilbur anil Klamain rails, iniuai
derline his determination not to)v ,t saHi jt would build al two
permit l.ans to tan under Com -
miinist control
In Washington, the While House
denied the report.
The Post gave this report of
1 the purported Kcnnedy-Gromyko
; meeting:
j "The encounter took place while
i Gromyko was in Washington for
j talks with Secretary of Slate Dean
KU.-.K. L..v diplomats sain today
ti iwl nni on iprv upll ihi-v
griilc-d. jert G. Davis of Grants Pass, the
The President, in addition to new state GOP chairmaa, said
his formal remarks alMiut Laos.,here Wednesday,
emphasized to Gromyko thali Davis said the need for Repuh
while the U.S. was oreoared to liran political work is great, for
negotiate it was not going to navlthe Democratic party "In effect
a price to persuade the Soviet 1 n -
inn to stop doing what it should
never have started.
28 Pages ROSEBURG, OREGONTHURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1961
WHERE THERE WERE FORMERLY just trees, this new Fir Grove school Is now, in a
sense, sprouting roots in the background. It is being built ot a $248,249.54 contract
cost, ond will be a 12-classroom structure with a multi-purpose room. It is scheduled for
completion for the middle of summer, ond is located on property acquired from the
government ond formerly on Veterans' Administration property. The contractor is Vik
Construction Co. of Eugene, with Stafford and Morin as architects. (News-Review Photo)
Supreme
Judgment
The Oregon Supreme Court Wed
nesday atfirined a $66,1-18 judg
ment from the Douglas County Cir
cuit Court in favor of the plaintiff
in the Rose M. James vs. Kollin
L. Falk case. Dr. Falk, Canyon
ville osteopathic physician, had ap
pealed from the jury verdict in
the court of then Judge Eldon F.
Caley. i
The woman was injured in an
automobile accident. She was taken
to Dr. Falk's Forest Glen Hospital
in Canyonville and "H:- his
cave for two inpntlN. Then ;shn
was moved to Euan-underpin,
care of another doctor.
Fracture Doesn't H.al
The Associated Press report, in
reviewing the case, said a bad leg
fracture did not heal correctly,
leaving a toxic condition and short
ening a leg. The Supreme Court
said there was direct evidence the
defendant failed to exercise "the
necessary care. skUl, diligence,
and knowledge."
Pending the Supreme Court de
cision legal negotiations have been
going ahead toward settlement of
the court's judgement. Dr. Falk's
insurance took care of $25,901.32,
as partial satisfaction of the judg
ment, leaving in excess of $10,000
to be paid.
Bids in For $10,000
An attachment was placed
against Dr. Falk's interest in the
! hospital. In a sheriff s sale last
Sept. 27. Mrs. nose suomiueu me
only bid in the amount of $10,000.
She was given a certificate of sale
r-nnlainme descrintion of the prop
erty and stating the amount bid
for the property, subject to
Public Hearing Due
On l-P's Request
The slate Land Board said today
it will hold a public hearing al
Salem at 2:30 p.m. Friday on In
ternational Paper Co.'s application
for use of waters of two lakes and
an easement across the ocean
beach at Gardiner.
The application is in connection
i wilh the company's proposal
hnilil a $30 million pulp and paper
plant near Gardiner. No decision
has been made by the company on
whether or not to build a plant at
Gardiner, but a spokesman earlier
said it would definitely not build
there unless it could have approval
of the two requests.
Stabilii. Lak. L.v.ls
The companv wants to stabilize
the levels of Lake Tahkenilch and
Lake Siltcoos and use the overflow
f,,r iu manufacturing process. It
also wants an easement across the
state-ownea ncacn ro u run iuii uh ncr purchases top secret,
la pipeline to carry waste to the Even normally talkative design
incean. - 1 er Olpff Cassini. who hd been
i i.and noard authority to grant sucll
Uites in Oregon.
New GOP Leader
Asks Fund Drive
PORTLAND (AP) The Ore -
gon Republican Party must start
fund dme to ensure fulltime
' political activity in tne siaie, Hon-
,has full time paid workers in the'mrnl was called to a (al.se alarm
i form of business agents for local Wednesday at 10 am. The call
j unions." ias to F-arrel Street in Winston.
Fir Grove School Rises
1 1 Ju
m ,4
Court
In Fa
demption according to law. The-
amount, less fees of $52.01 left i
$9,947.96 toward satisfaction of the
judgment, leaving more than $'3Q,
OUO stilt unpaiu.
Dr. Falk has filed a motion in
Circuit Court objecting to confir
mation of the sheriff's sale of hiss
half interest in the property. He
claims his half interest in the live
lots, on which is located the 23-bed
hospital, clinic and administration
offices, together with adjoining
Woolley Renamed
To Budget Board
Douglas County Court Judge V.
T. Jackson today said that the
Douglas County court had ap
proved several appointments made
this week in the county.
Harold Woolley, Drain, was re
appointed to a position on the
County Budget Committee, lie will
serve in the capacity until June
30, .1963.
Salmon Harbor Board
Three members of the Salmon
Harbor Management Board were
appointed.
The court annually appoints one
man. for the board to serve for
the calendar year. Newly elected
Commissioner Ray E. Docrner was
chosen this year. The post was
held last year by Charles Collins
county parks commissioner,
Ra.diport Man Named
The Port of llmpqua also ap
points one member to the three-
man board. O. It. Howard Hins
dale, was re-appointed this year.
The third member is chosen
jointly by the coiuty court and
port commission. The groups chose
itoy Henderson, Reedsport, for the
seat.
The board itself will meet at a
later date to choose its own chair
man. All members serve only for
the calendar year.
Jackie's Outfit
Is Top Secret;
Cassini Clams-Up
NEW YORK (AP) Mrs. John
F. Kennedy returns to Washing
ton today with suitcases that
might as well he marked: "Do
not open until Easter."
The President's wife concluded
a shopping tour of New York
Wednesday. But she, her press
secretary in Washington and even
I the people she bought from classi-
wouldn't sav a thing because, he
explained, "She asked me not to."
In Washington, the First Lady's
press secretary. Miss Pamela
lurnure. said tne taster ouiiu,
Mrs. Kennedv will wear will
pend largely on the weather. I
utr- i
The Kennedys plan to spend
F.astcr in Palm Beach, Fla.,
where the typical spring F.astcr
outfit might not be too comfort
able. In addition to shopping for
1 rlnthp. the First I.adv visited art
i museums and curio khnps during
npr (,, : i.e c.,v wpnt (0
! the hallet with thp United Nations
ambassador, Arilai K. Stevenson
False Alarm Answered
. The Winston Dillnrd Fire Depart
-- 69-61
PRICE Se
X
V,'
Affirms
Ik Case
properly, is of a fair market value
of $75,000.
The actual cost of oioncrlv and
hospital, constructed between 11)51
and Jiloo, was in excess of $82,000,
He alleges the price bid bv the
plaintiff was so inadequate to the
actual value as to amount to con
fiscation. His motion slates, "The plaintiff
s judgment creditor has no right
to use the execution upon and sale
of defendant's property for any
purposo ftUier thau securing 1 her
self aiut .niay not by such lorced
sale use such proceedings to take
defendant's property at an inade
quate price, and thereby unjustly
enrich herself at the expense of
the defendant."
Not Involved in Sal. Cas.
1 he supreme court decision mere
ly upholds the verdict as to the
judgment and does not concern
the settlement, which is un to the
lower court.
The confirmation of sale case
is expected to come up sometime
in April. In an earlier hearing on
a particular legal phase of the ac
tion, but not upon the sale con
firmation itself. Judge Don II.
Sanders in a memorandum opin
ion stated:
A sale of $75,000 property in
terest for $10,000, if true, does not
leave a judicious conscience unaf
fected. The moral sense of the
writer (himself) might well be
shocked at such a transaction if
it is proved in fact to have oc
curred." He ruled that the objec
tion and motion of the defendant to
confirmation do withstand a de
murrer, but added that whether or
not they will stand the test of
proof is still another matter.
Pro-Communist Rebels
Capture Laotian Town
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP)
Thailand's defense minister said
today he has received reports that
pro-Communist rebels have cap
tured the strategic town of Muong
Kassy in central Laos,
Gen. Thanom Kiltikachorn also
told newsmen, without identifying
his sources, that as many -as 14
Vietminh Communist Vietnam
ese battalions total strength un
mentioned were . now in rebel
held areas of Laos.
Att vf-V-'i t,
- i-tr -
.......
Laos People, Who Dislike War,
Caught In East-West Struggle
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Littln Laos, whose people hate
war. is in the middle of the East
West cold war because it has one
thing both sides want strategic
geographical position.
The Communists see Lao as
the avenue for a deep penetration
,.. snnihat Aia.
The West values the little jun
gle kingdum as the key In defense
of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia
and South Vict Nam.
These lour nations border on
Laos, as do Bed China and Com
munist North Viet Nam.
The two Red nations have taken
I advantage of the mutual border to
pour arms and "advisers" into
, the pro-Communist rebel armies
now naming tne royal govern
ment into mirth-central Laos.
Pro-Western Premier Bonn Oum
blames this aid for repeated suc
cesses reported by the rebels
since the current olfcnsive opened
.March 7.
But Western military experts
point nut there are other reasons:
A hard core of 2.000 to 2..VHI rebel
JFK Waits Russ Reaction
To New Cease-Fire Appeal;
Policy Report Due Today
WASHINGTON (AP) Prcsi-1 Britain after consultation with the
dent Kennedy apparently began j Uuled Slates. It kept open the
speeding U.S. military units road fur a negotiated settlement
toward crisis-wracked Southeast land put the next stcD un to)
Asia today in the crucial hours ot
a diplomatic showdown with Rus
sia over the embattled kingdom
of Laos.
Kennedy is expected to issue a
major U.S. policy statement on
the Laotian crisis at a news con
ference tonight 6 p.m. EST.
Awaits Reaction
Meanwhile the President await
ed some reaction from Soviet Pre
mier Nikita Khrushchev to an
urgont appeal from Britain for
agreement to a cease-fire in the
civil war in Laos. Given a cease
fire, the Western powers would
accept a Communist-backed pro
posal for an international confer
ence on Laos.
This last-minute move on the
diplomatic front was made by
Censorship Rule
Lifted By Reds
MOSCOW (AP)-The Soviet Un
ion today abolished censorship for
foreign correspondents.
The Foreign Office press direc
tor made the announcement at a
news conference.
The press director, Mikhail
Kharlainov, said he expected the
removal of censorship would
create new troubles for corres
pondents circulating unfounded
rumors about the Soviet Union.
This appeared to be a direct
warning that newsmen would be
expelled if their reports were not
satisfactory to the Soviet authori
ties. Kharlainov warned that all cor
respondents must keep a copy of
all their dispatches sent abroad
so long as they remain in the So
viet Union, lie explained that
soma correspondents had insisted
that some copy published abroad
under their names was nut of
their writing. Ry keeping a copyiyene to prevent the country from
of what is sent out, the corres
pondent can always answer this
question, he said.
Censorship is being lifted, Khar
lainov said, to expedite the move
ment of copy ot the loreign cor
respondents, who he said bad in
creased trom 15 a tew years ago
to 150 now in Moscow on a per
manent basis. About two-thirds of
these write for Communist and
Socialist publications.
Previously all - iion -Coinmuntijt
correspondents liavo been re
quired to submit tholr copy to
censorship before it could be telo
illumed or telegraphed abroad.
Censorship has been in force In
the Soviet Union since the revolu
tion in 1917, except for two brief
periods. H was suspended briefly
during the summer of 1939 but im
posed again when the Soviet-Fin
nish war started. Another brief
suspension came after the war in
1946. It lasted only a few weeks.
Kharlainov said that censorship
has not yet been lilted on move
ment ot pnotograpns ana tele
vision film.
,'
U.S. Asks Reds
For Total Ban Lift
WASHINGTON (AP) The Unit
ed States totlay challenged the
Kremlin to follow through on its
relaxation on foreign correspond
ent's writings by lilting censor
ship on what goes to the Soviet
people.
The U.S. view was set forth in
a State Department statement,
saying the United States is grati
fied that Moscow has lifted direct
controls over dispatches that for
eign correspondents send from the
Soviet Union.
The United Stales, the state
ment added, "hopes thai serious
impediments to the free flow of
information. into the u.s.o.K. trom
the rest of the world, such as the
jamming 'of radio broadcasts and
bars to normal distribution of rep
resentative foreign publication,
will also soon be abandoned."
While weleoming.the Soviet step
as something of a move forward,
U.S. ollicials were skeptical as to
how much dilierence there would
now be as compared with the pre
vinos direct censorship system.
troops have been Communist-'
indoctrinated and are impervious
to the peaceful tenets of Bud
dhism. Government troops, on the oth
er hand, have shown a definite
reluctance to fight. Their officers
and political leaders frequently
have said it is wrong fur Lao to
kill Lao.
Western experts consider the
government troops poorly trained,
saying perhaps only one in five has
grasped
even the rudiments ot
combat
Thp I'nitpd Slntpa ha tmnrprl tn I
arms worth millions in an effort
to bolster the 29.000 -man govern -
ment army. In addition, civilian-j
i dressed military men are train
ing government troops to use!
their new U.S. arms.
Full-scale U.S. intervention lo
keep Laos' 2' a million persons out
of the red bloc would meet many
difficulties.
Much of Laos' 91,400 square:
miles is rugged jungle terrain.
U.S armor or supply ronvoya
would ha difficulty matching
Khrushchev.
May Us. Fore.
Meanwhile the reported military
moves underscored Kennedy's de
termination to deal with the Com-
unist threat by force if diploma
cy fails.
One of the tightest secrecy
clampdowns since the Korean
War shut off Pentagon informa
tion on military moves.
Authorities here said privately,
however, that some of those
moves were clearly precautionary
steps, others were designed to be
gin a substantial increase in U.S.
military assistance to the royal
Laotian government.
At Hong Kong the U.S. aircraft
carrier Midway and two destroy
ers suddenly departed for an un
disclosed destination several days
ahead of schedule. They were
believed heading for the waters
of Southeast Asia.
Speculation Breaks Out
Speculation immediately broke
out that other units of the U.S:
7th Fleet, ordinarily stationed in
the Philippines-Formosa area
were moving south.
The Marines were reported
sending a helicopter maintenance
unit of loO to 150 men to Udorn,
Thailand, 50 miles from Vien
tiane, capital of Laos. The nunii
ber of American-made helicopters
available to the Laos government
for military use was reported
being increased from 6 to 20.
There tvere reports here that
various units of the Strategic.
Army Corps STRAC were alert
ed for movement on a precaution
ary basis, though STRAC itself
denied there was any special
alert.
Usually well-informed diplomats
reported that if Khrushchev does
not respond favorably to the latest
Western-initiated diplomatic solu
tion in Laos, Uie Kennedy admin
istration will ask the Southeast
Asia irealy Organization to mtcr-
being taken over by the Commu
nists.
Officials Not Hopeful
soviet reaction to an urgent new
effort by Britain to get a diplo
matic settlement could bring last
minute changes in the expected
presidential declaration. But offi
cials were not very hopeful that
the. Soviets would agree at this
I stage to Western terms lor a dip-
luiiiuiic sen lenient.
Kennedy i".:heduled to hold a
news conference at 6 p.m. East
ern Standard ' Time. The confer
ence was originally set for 4 p.m.
Wednesday, then delayed while he
and his advisers developed nlans
for dealing with the increasingly
critical situation centering around
the straggle in Laos.
1 he British proposal made Wed-
nesday in Moscow reportedly calls
for revival of an international con
trol commission to bring about a
ceasefire in Laos. The commis
sion, now dormant, was establish
ed in 1954, consisting of India,
Canada and Poland.
If the Soviet Union a 2 reed tn
such a ceasefire arrangement, it
was felt the wav would be clear
ed for an international conference
to seek a more permanent settle
ment under which Laos would be
completely neutralized. Britain and
the United Stales are reported in
tavor ot a neutral nations com
mission of Cambodia. Burma
and Malaya to play a key role
in working out this settlement.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State
Dean Rusk prepared to leave late
tonignt. tor Bangkok, Thialand.
where on Monday he will meet
with loreign ministers of Die South
east Asia Treaty Organization.
SEATO is the agency through
which the United States will al
most certainly work, authorities
here said, if direct intervention of
outside forces become necessary in
Laos to support the pro-Western
government. , , ,
Push Toward Vientiane
Fro-Communist forces are push
ing toward the Laotian capital of
Vientiane.
Vice President Lyndon B. John
son said Wednesday, following a
conference with Rusk and Direc
tor Allen W. Dulles of the Central
Intelligence Agency, that the Uni
ted States "is not in a mood to
meekly permit" Laos "to be gob
bled up by an armed minority sup.
ported from the outside."
the n'obility ot rebel guerrillas.
U.S. troops and supplies would
have to be airlifted in from great
distances Okinawa or Japan.
Some military exnerts say Laon
could be another Korea only
worse. ,
Levity Fact Rant
By L. F. Reizenstein
Idle thought tor today: Best
, reeruifer of Communism it
the gap- between the have
. and hovt-nots. Few of th
I masses know anything about
the hokum of Karl Mars and
care lest, but their tub-norm-I
al existence In a lopsided
economy induces them to luc-
b , fh ( f R .
" " "
demagoguQi.
A