The Daily Alaska empire., 1951-06-08
MAR5HALLIS ON VISIT TO
 WAR FRONT
Defense Secretary in Sur. prise Trip -Congrdfu-
 Idfes Fighting Forces

 fense Secretary George c. Marshall made surprise visit to Japan and Korea today, but said it had mo connection whatsoever" with any cur rent peace moves.
 He also denied that he brought Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway any new directive on fighting the Korean war.
 Marsall said the reason for his trip was purely military"
 T came to Korea to congratu- late our Army leaders on their achievements" he said
 When newsmen in Korea asked him if his trip had any connection with peace moves, Marshall replied with a smile:
 You better ask Mao Tze-Tung (Red China premier) about that" A correspondent asked him If Korea was military stalemate.
 Marshall replied: Whenever we start something and don't finish 1t the same afternoon = in our coun- try that's stalemate."
 He said the Guerrilla war in Greece was once called stalemate. and so was the Berlin airlift.
 38th Figure of Speech
 Marsall had this to say about the 38th Parallel, once the dividing line between Communist North and Re- publican South Korea. se
 "The Army will be handled in the most effective manner possible. The 38th is just figure of speech now In Washington ambassadors of Is nations which have troops fighting with LIN forces in Korea met Tues day and discussed prospects of cease-fire. They meet again today.
 Marshall emphatically denied that these and other reports of a pos sible negotiated peace had any con- nection with his visit.
 No Comments, Ridgway
 In Tokyo, Gen. Ridgway, who ac- companied Marshall to Korea, was asked this direct question:
 Have you any new instructions from Washington concerning the war?"
 Ridgway's reply was mo com ment"
 The defense secretary flew into Tokyo about midnight last night. Within 20 minutes he had changed planes and was on his way to Korea Ridgway accompanied him.
 Conference at Front
 Today, just south of 3S on the western front. Marshall conferred with It. Gen. James A. Van Fleet, IT. S. 8th Army commander and the top JUN field commander.
 The thunder of Allied artillery could be heard in the distance.
 The 45-minute meeting was held in a green camouflaged Army tent. Fighter planes circled overhead ana armed military police guarded the tent.
 Photographers were allowed to take pictures when the conference broke up. but correspondents were not allowed to question him. The press conference was held later' just before he returned to Japan.
 Marshall looked tired as he left the conference.
 More LIN Troops
 The secretary said efforts are be- ing made to obtain more troops for the Korean war from other members of the UN He refused to comment on whether additional U. s. forces will be sent.
 Marshall said he considered the LIN campaign in Korea military classic"
 In particular he pointed to the way the Chinese and North Korean Reds were repulsed during their May offensive and then were pur- sued by the LIN Army.
 Red Morale Disrupted
 We counterattacked immediate ly," he said. "and disrupted the Con- munist's morale and certainly hurt the Communist prestige. I wanted to see the place where this had hap pened."
 Marshall said his trip was planned some time ago but he wasn't able to come to Korea until he had made certain the manpower bill and the l951-52 budget discussions no longer required his presence in the U s.
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