Evening star., 1950-08-20
North Koreans Seen
Filling Ranks From
Other Red Countries
By John A. Giles

A high defense official expressed
the belief yesterday that the deci-
mated ranks of the Northern
Korean army are being filled to
q large extent by forces from other
Communist countries. At the same
time, a congressional report told
of 200 900 crack Red soldiers NOV
ing toward Korea from within
China.
The Army estimates North Ko-
rean losses to be about $4,000. 1t
was originally believed the Reds
had 100000, but latest estimates
place their total in the battle lines
at 10000. On these statistics,
the defense official commented:
1T begins to appear that it
(the fighting on the Reds part)
is no longer just a Korean affair"
Senator Wiley. Republican, of
Wisconsin meanwhile reported
that Congressman had been told
that a 0.000-man force largely
made up of Koreans trained in
Manchuria by the Russians was
moving northward in1nChina to-
ward the Korean border.
Other Developments.
l. 1t was learned that Air Force
Secretary Finletter and Air Under
secretary John A. McCone, now in
Europe, would discuss with North
Atlantic Pact representatives
set-up in those countries own
plane production. 1t is planned to
have the North Atlantic nations
produce as many planes, tanks. in
strumentS, ETC., as feasible so as
to relieve some of the drain on
Americas production, which will
be taken largely by this country's
own forces.
2. Gen. Collins, Army Chief of
Staff, and Admiral Sherman. Chief
of Naval Operations. left yesterday
for Tokyo for conferences with
Gen. Macarthur. They were ac-
companied by 1t. Gen. Idwal H.
Edwards, Air Force deputy chief
of staff, and it was considered a
certainty that one Of the matters
for discussion would be close air
support of ground troops. Some
air officers here question diverting
B-29 strategic bombers to the tao
tical job, the results of which have
been inconclusive.
55Planes Lost.
3. The Air Force disclosed that
It had lost SIS planes to enemy &C
ton in the Korean operation
through Friday, including "a F-51
Mustangs, II F-80 Shooting Stars
and B-26s. 1t said that this
figure covered all losses known to
the enemy from fighter attacks.
anti-aircraft or small arms fire
from the ground and enemy STRAIT
ing and bombing. 1t reported also
that 70 Red planes had been de-
stroyed, II probably destroyed and
80 damaged during the same
period.
4. The reports of the possibility
of non-Korean Communists being
in the North Korean ranks en-
phasized again the concern in
some Pentagon quarters over the
slowness in getting additional
United Nations ground help in
Korea. These quarters said such
help is urgently needed now and
they expressed fear that the con-
tinued lack Of such help might
soon affect the morale of Ameri-
can troops in the field.
The defense official said that a
front line news dispatcff which
told Of photos found on some Red
soldiers picturing them in Chinese
Communist uniforms and with
Manchurian addresses was "just
another indication of what we
have been expecting would hap
pen."
Only a few weeks ago the Pen
tagon announced that Russians
were known to be serving as ad-
visers to at least one North Ko-
rean unit and it can be presumed
that the closest watch now is
being kept for more evidence OF
Chinese or Russian prisoners.
A briefing officer yesterday
again used a handy, but by now
shopworn, device for explaining
the enemy's capability of Offset
ting battle losses and expanding
his army: the Reds are conscript-
ing Korean men and women on
wholesale basis" That un-
doubtedly accounts for some of
it but does not explain how the
enemy apparently continues to
have at least a nucleus of un-
usually highly trained troops who
fight like veterans and are able
to use the highly technical in
Strllnnepts of NOV