Evening star., 1952-05-25

NuyWoy UOWHeU CONCESSIONS On N0le
But Was Too Lote. Poee A.
Communist aviation in Manchuria
and Korea makes it essential in
my opinion" Senator O'Mahoney
Democrat of Wyoming) said
that Congress have a completely
factual presentation on the rela-
tive strength of the United States
and Communist Russia.
Congress in this session is
face to face with the decision
or not we shall yield
air superiority to the Kremlin. u
Senator O'Mahoney made the
comment in a statement in which
he announced that a Senate Ap-
preparations subcommittee on de-
Tense funds, which he heads, has
called upon Secretary of the All
Force Finletter for an up-to-the-
minute report on relative air
Plane Production Plans Asked.
An Armed Services subcom-
mlttee on preparedness called fo1
a report on United States aircraft
production plans from John D
Small. chairman of the Munitions
Board. Mr.. Finletter and Mr.
Small will be heard at separate
closed sessions tomorrow.
Just before Gen. Ridgway, the
former Korean war commander
left here yesterday for New Yorh
and Paris, where he will succeed
Gen. Eisenhower, the Senate
Armed Services Committee re.
leased a heavily-censored tran.
script of his testimony before il
on Wednesday. He was heard ir
secret.
The transcript showed thar
Gen. Ridgway told the Senator.
in response to questions that h,
believes United States bombing O,
Communist bases in Manchuris
would increase the danger of entr,
into the Korean war by the Rus.
sian air force. Gen. Macarthur
has advocated bombing Manchu.
rian bases.
Reply to Morse Deleted.
The transcript showed thi:
question by Senator Morse, Re.
publican, of Oregon: Are you ir
a position to advise this commit.
tee this morning as to whether il
is true that we do not have all
superiority in Asia in case the
Russian air force should come into
the warp"
Reply omitted for securit,
reasons" the transcript read.
Speaker Rayburn told the House
in a speech Friday the Unitec
States has lost air superiority t.
Russia. And Senator O'Mahoney
who heard Gen. Ridgway, told &
reporter the general had reported
a danger that the allies in Kores
might lose it. The Senator added
We might as we'll face tn,
facts that We are in an arms rae,
with Communist Russia, and tina
air power is one of the most i'm.
portant instruments of moderr
warfare"
Danger to Japan Emphasized.
Senator O'Mahoney last yea
plloted through the Senate a spe.
clal SIS billion fund to strengthen
the United States air arm, but il
conference with the House the fig.
ure was Whitfield to 81 billion. H,
is reported to be thinking of re-
viving it this year.
Senator Morse asked c -idg
way whether the loss ore;
would threaten. in your opinion
the security of Japan"
very definitely, sir" Gen. Ridg
way said.
Loss of Japan, he said, "woul,
vitality menace the military secu
rity OF the American people,"
Main Question Called Political.
Gen. Ridgway told the commit
tee his orders during his assign
ment as United States commando
in Korea were:
THAT I was to negotiate a mill
tary armistice; that I was to dea
only with military questions, no
with political at ALL"
Senator Saltonstall, Republican
OF Massachusetts,, asked if tha
meant that "the only way we ar
going to end this war is to max,
political decisions here in Wash
ington and among the leaders o
Europe?"
eyes. sir" Gen. Ridgway an
swered.
Senator Saltonstall: 'It is be-
yond the military leadership with
in Korea and Japan. where yol
were the theater commander, t,
end that war under your own i'm
lpetus even though you have tn
military power to do it?"
Gen. Ridgway: Eyes, sir"