Evening star., 1951-04-20
Military Chiefs
Brief Editors on
Defense Status
Marshall, Bradley
Address Newsmen in
'Off-the- Record Talk
By jones G. Deone

buC WnaC Cney SalQ was lapeleC
"off -the-record."
Defense Secretary Marshall and
Gen. Bradley, chairman OF the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, were the
two principal speakers. Assistant
Secretary Anna Rosenberg also
spoke.
Interest in the session was
heightened by Gen. MacArthur's
Congress speech of yesterday. In
the editors minds also was a
grim warning voiced to them yes
terday on the country's atom
bomb vulnerability.
Civil Defense Administrator
Millard Caldwell told the society's
convention yesterday afternoon
that Russia now has enough
atomic bombs to attack all Of
Americas major cities at once.
He said the Russians "are ready
to deliver this destruction when
ever they feel like it." And he
added:
There is little or nothing we
can do to stop them"
The 400 members attending the
convention were screened care
fully as they entered the Hotel
Statler's Congressional Room for
this, mornings defense ses-
sion. Yesterday Society President
Dwight E. Young stressed that
the remarks of the visiting
officials would be for their infor-
nation only. and were not to be
passed on to the public.
Criticized Last Year.
A year ago the society in a
resolution strongly criticized at
tempts by Government officials to
withhold news, particularly If
such attempts are made under the
guise of providing information in
confidence. But Mr.. Young made
1t clear the defense spokesmen
agreed to speak only on the con-
f1dential basis.
Defense Mobilizer Charles E.
Wilson stressed home front de-
fense problems in an address to
the editors last night.
He called imitation Domestic
Enemy No. l." and warned of
harsh" measures that will be
needed to combat it. But he said
that "if we can stabilize the value
Of the dollar. we can look to the
future with confidence"
The mobilization chief also
urged a fight against complacency,
asserting:
Let us not forget that, if the
Korean war ended tomorrow, it.
would be written off by the Krem-
lin as mere incident, and the
cold war would continue on a
score Of other fronts.
"Tte only time we can be rea-
sonably sure of peace" he con-
tinued, "is when we can talk to
the Kremlin with the voice of
strength"
"No Apologies" Wilson Says.
In answer to questioning about
recent labor criticism Of big
business" influence in the defense
effort, Mr.. Wilson said he saw
nothing to apologize for" in hav-
Ing men from "big business"
among his associates. He added:
"Just why any segment of the
economy should find it necessary
to put the finger on those men
for having answered their coun-
try's call, I don't know. 1t doesn't
make sense to me-"
Senator Kefauver, Democrat, of
Tennessee, sharing the platform
with Mr.. Wilson, told the editors
95 per cent of the criminal opera
tions in the country could be
stopped by local people" If they
would "kick out the local officials
who permit that kind of thing
to exist"
The chairman of the Senate
Crime Investigating Committee,
crediting newspapers with in
spring the committees work,
urged that they keep fighting
crime by arousing public indigna-
tion.
The Senator also voiced strong
opposition to legalizing gambling.
In his warning on A-bomb at
tacks, Mr.. Caldwell deplored what
he called the shocking apathy of
the American people to the very
real dangers of atomic attack on
their cities and themselves.
Warns of Present Danger.
Urging newspapers to get the
facts and drum them into the
consciousness of the people," the
civil defense chief said only about
10 per cent of the Russians at
tacking planes could be expected
to be downed or detected.
This is the pre-attack period"
he declared. There may be little
time left to educate our people in
the simple steps of personal sur
vival. 1t must be done, and done
fast. before it is too late"
Mr.. Caldwell told reporters from
20 to 80 cities could be hit by
the Russians simultaneously. He
refused to say, however, how
many atom bombs our officials
now believe the Soviet to have.
Earlier, the editors heard Gov
ernment public relations activ-
tiles criticized and defended.
v. M. Newton. jr., editor of
the Tampa (Fla.) Tribune, said
the Government spends $500 mil
lion annually on printing and
propaganda" much of it dan
gerous."
Every line written by a Gov
ernment press agent" he charged,
sis designed to reflect glory upon
his Government agency and to
prolong the political life of his
boss, regardless of whether it is
truth, half-truth or no truth"
Joseph L. Newman, news direc-