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THE DAILY | --a Kidnapped Marines Become Unwilling Judges of Chinese Communist | Army TIENTSIN, China, Dec. 14.-- Seven Marifies who took an un- willing, unofficial 11-day fur- lough to "see and 'judge the Eighth Route (Communist) Army" would have been a lot happier with a cake of ice. Ice was what the Marines tpost along the Peiping-Mukden Railway, ice for a drink to celebrate the im- minent return of Pfc. James W. Shipley to Armbrust, Pa., for og The nearest ice was » o an, a small village about three and a half miles (30 minutes by jeep over the rough Chinese roads) from their post. In that when it arrived in Hsi-Ho-Nan, besides Shipley, were Sgt. John J. Herndon, Fal- Sullivan, both of Chicago; Pvt. Arthur Maldonado, Des Moines, Ia.; their number one boy, called "Rusty" because no one knew his Chinese name, and a dog, Stums- py. Mahoney and Rusty went right into the ice house to argue price with the owner. The rest stocd around outside. And outside them, they discovered a minute later, was a ring of uniformed Chinese soldiers, their rifles aim- ed in a business-like manner at the seven remaining Marines. The ice deal saved Mahoney and Rusty. When the troops started their captives, including the dog, off at a trot, they un- knowingly left the two in the ice house to take the tale back to Marine headquarters. Once outside Hsi-Ho-Nan, the Chinese alternately marched and ran their captives for the first five miles to the next village where they obtained an ancient wagon with solid wooden wheels, pulled by a single mule, Into this they loaded the Marines and set off again, putting as much distance between them and pur- suit as possible. At 11 p.m, the soldiers halted, fed the Marines a light meal of boiled eggs and tea, gave them clean peasant hing in ex- change for t uddy, sweat- saturated unifs and let them sleep. Since the Marines spoke no Chinese but "Ding Hao" (which means "very good" and hardly was applicable) and the Chinese spoke no English, they had no idea by whom and why they had been captured. They didn't learn for some time. Meanwhile, Marine Corps head- quarters in Tientsin had ordered a search. So complete were ine telligence reports that the sear- chers even knew what the miss- ing men and 'their dog had eaten. When it was definitely Get Large Orders For Light Aircraft J » 'The Portsmouth Aviation Come pany, England, manufacturers of the popular "Aerocar" light air- craft, report that orders from overseas now exceed £1 million. Its quick climb makes it a great among amateur pilots gree of safety in take-off. The #"Aerocar" only needs 134 yard run-way or 160 yards rough for taking-oftf, and it can climb 1,100 ft. a minute; even were one of the engines to stall when start- ing there is no risk for with one engine the "Aerocar" can still climb 230 ft. a minute. It is, therefore, an ideal light aircraft for taking-off from or landing- on small areas, safe landing in a confined space being ensured hy a reliable and rapid braking sys- Plan To Electrify British Railway LONDON, Dee. 14--The South- yester- London- and Folkestone es Work in the South- Raise'Large Sum For Church Fund The British council of churches has their need of clothes and books. Cycles and motor vehicles have been sent for the use of pastors in Holland, France, Belgium and other countries, established that the men were in the hands of Communist troops, not bandits, the matter was turn- ed over to a truce team com- posed of Col. Morris Martin of the U.S. Army, an officer from the Chinese Nationalist Army and one from the Chinese Come munist Army. As the captives pushed deeper into. Communist territory, they were assigned interpreters who told them they were there to "see and judge the Eighth Route Army" and that they would be returned unharmed at the end of the tour. The political commis sar of the district where they were held dictated a note which they had to sign and which was transmitted to their headquar- ters: : "We are well now and have been all right as far as every- thing is fine. We are headed for the Commander in Chief of the Eighth Route Army which will take about three weeks we are told. Our life is at their trust, They want us to judge their army and see it." The seven Marines signed the note, But taking no chances, Herndon prefaced his name with Pfc. rather than Sgt. "A sergeant is pretty high in their army and I didn't want them trying to get a lot of ine formation out of me," Herndon -captives pre After Comm CARRYING THEIR recently recovered rifles, kidnapped wade through mud of Ni Ching to meet truce team that Chinese Communists. their release from ' said, "especially since we still thought that they might resort to torture." Actually the Communists made only one serious attempt to get to pile into jeep army's mulecarts, pare were a pleasure. = By Robert ¥. Burford Marines secured information from "the Marines, who refused to answer any ques- tions except to give name, rank and serial number. An interpre ter said they were "ungrateful" but no one else seemed to mind seriously. At varying times they were subjected to long lectures on the aims, history, accomplishe ments and advantages of the Communist government. When the Communists learned it was Shipley's birthday, the Commander sent over two bot- tles of brandy for a celebration. Refusing them razors, the Chin- ese provided the Marines with a barber to shave them. The Com- missar entertained them at a lavish 14-course Chinese style dinner. The Americans lost a little "face" when their captors beat them in a game of Chinese vol- ley ball, but got it back a short time later when Stumpy whipped the camp's prize mongrel in a fight. On the tenth morning after their capture, the Marines knew they were to be released. The Commissar called them in, gave each a picture of the group taken with Communist officials and let them inspect their guns. The bolts were rusted almost shut. Then they started back to- wards Tientsin. By next after- noon they met the truce team in Ni Ching. The Communists wanted to hold another Chinese banquet to celebrate, but the Marines settled for "10 in 1" rations. The first question asked when they got back to their company was: "Where's the ice?" "Cenire of Modern Learning x kK * k k * * kK k & * * i * kk * Kk k * UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PLANNED IN BRITAIN Britain's universities will, with in a few years have doubled and trebled their pre-war output of students. Britain will be sought after more than ever before, as an educational centre, for the student will find the most mod- ern laboratories there as well as an almost limitless field of choice in the matter of subjects. ' .e provincial universities are taking part in thé competition for ex- tension as eagerly as London. Oxford and Cambridge generally come to mind, but Britain's oth- er provincjal universities have a world-wide reputation too. A typical example of the univ- ersities' enterprise is afforded by the extension program of the Newcastle Division of the Univer- sity of Durham in the North. of England. Before World War II, this university had 1,300 students on its register; in future, it is to admit 3,000. Over 90 per cent of the pre-war student mem- bers of the university were "for- eigners," that is, Englishmen not resident in the neighborhood and students of overseas nationality. No more convincing proof can be afforded of the fact that the uni- versity has outgrown its local character, although it is envis- aged that, in future, the number of "foreigners" shall not exceed 70 per cent. Instruction is given in all standard subjects, although the university has also excel- lent special Chairs for naval architecture and marine engin- eering. It is intended now to in clude in the lecture syllabus such modern subjects as town plan- ning, agricultural mechanics, in- dustrial medicine and political philosophy. Plans have also: been laid for the extension of studies in chemistry. ' The Universities of Birminge ham, Sheffield and Leeds may be taken as representing the Mid land industrial area. They have, according to their traditions and teaching activities, grown up with the industrial character c: the region. A Chair of Industrial Metallurg with Dr. Leslie Aitch- ison as first professor, has been set up ia Birmingham, the Bri- tish metallurgical metropolis. The basic principle of this inno- vation was to adapt the training of students more than ever be- fore to the practical demands of industry. In the past, students primarily received professional training for research and labora- tory work. The metallurgical in= dustry in Britain has now an- nounced that it can, in future, admit young people with univer- sity training, in view of the fact that today, developments in in- dustry demand highly qualified specialist workers, Only in this way, according to the annual re- port of the vice-chancellor, Dr. Priestley, is it possible to ensure Serve Public Without Pay LONDON, Dec. 14--The Royal Albert Hall, which for many years has been a familiar land- mark to every Londoner, has in 1 cent years become well-known by name to listeners all over the world. Many of the symphony and other concerts are heard from the giant oval-shaped red brick and terra cotta building which holds 8,000 seats and was built in the reign of Queen Victoria. One of the most curious things about it, known to very few ple in England or abroad, is its corps of honorary stewards, a un- ique body of men who give up their spare time to serving the public in an unusual way without payment. When you go to a con- cert at the Albert Hall you may be shown to your seat by a lieutenant general, a doctor, a builder, a bank manager, or a prof of la They wear 20 uniform, only a small silver badge in the buttonholes of their coat lapels with the letters "R. AH." on it. Speaking to African listeners, William Holt recently told how he had met the full-time superin- tendent of this corps--a retired business man--who spends a full , working day at his roll-top desk in the Albert Hall without salary or travelling expenses, According to him, this unpaid crops of stew- ards do their work of service after their ordinary working day for the fellowship it provides. They like the feeling of being members of a 'club' where they do something, and they love the old hall and the music and crowd atmosphere, The Royal Albert Hall was erected and opened by Queen Victoria "for the advance- ment of the arts and sciences and works of industry of all nations." And from that day this little- Wn corps of stewards has been in existence. By Paul West that the results of research and laboratory work find. practical expression in industry. The new training program, therefore, pro- vides that industrial firms as- sume responsibility for the prac- tical training of students, while the universities concentrate more on the theoretical and scientific aspects of the case. The close co- operation between university and industry is also shown by the fact that the engineering indus try has expressed its ess to make available the greater part of the laboratory equipe ment. Sheffield, the centre in Britain for the production of fine and high-grade steel, already has ex- cellent laboratories in its univer- sity for steel research under the auspices of the Department of metallurgy. For this reason, local industry takes increasing inter- est in the training of future gen- erations and the directors of the British Iron and Steel Research Association, Sir Charles Goodeve, recently expressed the view that it looked as if the Department of Metallurgy in the university was developing more and more into a research station. He was ree ferring here chiefly to rolling mill research to which the de- partment has recently given much close attention, steel roll- ing processes being the chief ob- Ject in view, Whoever in future wishes to study rayon, must take a course of study at Leeds University. As Leeds is situated in the textile region, the local university is set- ting up a Rayon Department in its Textile Faculty. The incentive to the foundation of such a de- partment was afforded by a grant of £60,000 from Messrs, Courtaulds the rayon manufac turing firm, and it is to be used for building and fitting out rayon laboratories with the most mod- ern machinery. When this project is completed, Britain will possess a leading research station for rayon technology. The practical effects on the manufacture of rayon will soon be noticeable. The rush to study the less well- known languages is especially noticeable at London University, The School of Oriental and Af- rican Studies has, at the present moment, enrolled more than 1,000 students as against only 213 in 1939. The teaching staff, which numbered 50 before the war, is now 121 strong and a further 64 teachers in specialized subjects are on call. Special courses were arranged in Arabic, Sudanese, Chinese, Malay, Persian, Urdu and Tamil at the instigation of many business firms, especially the big oil companies. ® x First Line Of Detence L * LONDON, Dec. 14.--Britain's Territorial Army, to be recon- stituted on the "st of January, will have armored ' formations and an airborne division. The Secretary of State for War, Mr. Bellenger, describing its defens- ive role in the House of Com- mons, said that in any future war the immediate threat would be from the air and the vital com- mitment of anti-aircraft would fall on the Territorial needed by gu! convert it into a properly bal- anced force ready for battle. It would also fall to the Territorials to provide the second line of the Army on a 'basis on which the Army could expand in a war. This will entail the pro- vision not only of an infantry. di- vision but an armored forma- tion, an airborne (' 'ision and the necessary supporting corps and army troops. main responsi- bility of the Territorial Army is thus switched from a "backing w, role to the primary defence of the country against air at- tack and the whole oi ization will be stepped up in line with modern warfare. The permanent staff must nec- essarily be larger than before the war, when the Territorial Army was completely a volun- citizen army, but even so not exceed two per cent of the whole unit establishment, Mr. Bellenger said that the command- ers would be of the best mater ial possible--mainly from those who served in the war that has just- ended. Recruitments will open next spring. Eventually, as .a result of compulsory service, the Territorial Army will in ad- dition contain a large compul- sory element which will begin to reach units in the summer of 1950. The administration will con- tinue to be entrusted to the County Territorial Associations and In view of the exacting and complex nature of their work, all the Associations will include in an advisory capacity representa- tives of all types of local govern~ ment bodies, trade unions, em- ployers' associations and local ed- ucation authorities. Exploration Of The Stratosphere * Continuous observation and ex- ploration of the stratosphere is an important aid to civil avia- tion, which is very greatly affect ed by weather conditions. While World War II was still on, a company developed an instru- ment in their Salford factory in Lancashire, which had been of great service to the Royal Air Force in planning their aire offensives. This recording instru- ment, known as "Radio-Sonde", contains barometers, thermome= ters and hydrometers, which are controlled automatically and the results transmitted by radio-sig- nal. The "Radio-Sonde", which is a black cylinder, goes up with a balloon whese normal ceiling has been calculated as being about .12 miles, At about this altitude the balloon bursts, as a result of pressure differences, but the "Radio-Sonde" and its valu- able instruments comes down with an automatic parachute safely and quietly to earth. These stratosphere recordings are as in- dispensable to civil aviation as they were to the R.AF. in their operations during the war. * * Floating Dock For Scandinavia A large floating-dock, built to order for the Aktiebolaget Finn- boda Varf, Stockholm, has been launched at the Furness Ship- building Yard at Haverton Hill, England. The dock comprises six sections with an overall length of 468 feet and a lifting- capacity of 7,500 tons, In order to meet the Swedish shipbuild- ing-yard's limiting date, the British firm has constructed the dock in the remarkably short riod of six months. A further novation in the construction of such docks is the fact that a seventh section is to be delivered next year. This section, which is now building, will lengthen the dock by another 100 feet, in- creasing its lifting-capacity to 9,000 tons. - On completion next year, this section will be towed to Stockholm. The Norwegian Stavangerske Dampskipsselskap has also purchased a new float- ing-dock in Britain. - = Nuffield Builds Aircraft Engines * * Britain's motor car manufac- turer, Lord Nuffield, has decided to build aircraft engines. Plans for a four-cylinder engine have been completed and prototypes are now being constructed. The Nuffield aircraft engine is to de- velop 100 h.p. and is intended for a light aircraft which is to make flying as popular as motoring. * * Housing Record Set In England * * A new record speed In erecting a house has been set up by the London firm of Prefabricated Construction Ltd. One of its al- uminum h4 ses was put up in less than a. hour--in 58 minute: 30 seconds, to be precise, "Everyone Happy On Majuro By Douglas Larsen MAJURO, Marshall Islands.-- With the international situation in a state of turmoil, and hun ger, unrest and conflict rampant all over the world, a kingdom exists on this Pacific atoll whose people are all happy, have plen- ty to eat, are satisfied with their government and don't want a loan from the United States. This astonishing discovery was made at one of the most unusual ress conferences probably ever Bela. A party of 11 news cor- ndents visiting former Jap- held islands to make the first report on the navy's island gov- ernment administration inter. viewed King Lainlon, monarch of 1,350 natives on this island paradise. Through an interpreter he re- vealed that he and his people are much happier with America con- trolling his island than when the Japs had it. He sald his ple had no freedom under the aps. The Japs wouldn't let them visit neighboring islands freely. The King sald they didn't like the Japanese military government, What did he think of the world situation in general? The King said he'd heard that it wasn't too good, but admitted he couldn't figure out why; everything is running very smoothly in his domain. The happiness on this island kingdom is not echoed, however, . on many of the other Islands of the erstwhile Japanese man- date that were as stepping stones to victory in the Pacific. The other story is one of short ages in a jungle of surpluses, of economic fumbling, and, in many places, 'of a bitter tasting peace after a bitter war. That story will provide, when it is unfolded, a sharp contrast to King Lanlon's picture of a paradise of well-fed and happy subjects, where the crime rate is low, the divorce rate "normal," and the only labor trouble is a 'wife's occasional refusal to do the chores her husband has or- dered her to do. The King was asked if he ap- proved of the wage scale set by the navy for the few natives who worked at nearby bases, he re- plied: "It's fine." The scale starts at about $15 per month. KING LAINLON, monarch of disk, his royal badge, It was only with reluctance that he admitted he needed any- thing from the United States. His people could use a couple of kegs of nails, or some tin roof- ing, he said. One of the report- ers explained that these items were hard to get at home, too. The King hastened %o point out there was no hurry about the "matter at all. Any time in the next few years would be all right. The King was emphatic about not wanting or needing a loan from the U.S. even after one of the reporters assured him that he could probably get one if he would ask the State Depart- ment, The conference was held on King Lainlon's front porch, He was dressed in light GI khaki clothing. A large polished brass disc with a navy insignia and the words "King of Majuro" inscribed hung around his neck suspended with a black navy necktie. The Xing is more than 80 years old. e wore dark glasses, 8 During the conference a na- tive hacked off the ends of cocoanuts and passed them , meets the press. The brass Majuro, hangs from s US. Navy. necktie. among reporters to drink the juice, Before the conference started everyone had to shake hands several times with all the King's relatives and friends. A crowd of native children a! women started from the King' front yard and . giggled every time a question. was asked. They laughed hysterically when the navy photographer, Wilbur Gustafson of Saginaw, Mich, took pictures and showed the King where to sit and how to , Every once in a while they would break out with a hymn. The day was Sunday and the island missionary had conducted service that day. One of the navy officers pres- ent asked the king if he had any message he wanted reporters to carry back to the President of the United States. The King asked that they just say hello the next time they see him. The conference broke u when one of the reporters s up and said: "Thank you, Mr. King." Then there followed another siege of violent handshgking all around before the correspond. ents were allowed to leave. lless Cultivation: "What Is Soi I had occasion recently fo eat a special kind of tomato, one that had not grown in garden soil. The root of my tomato had been rals- ed to maturity in ordinary tap water to which some eral salts had been added. The fruit had exactly the same bright red color of "other" tomatoes and a still sharper flavor. In Britain, soilless cultivation has, in recent years, received a great impetus as a consequence of the shortages of labor, natural fertilizers and foodstuffs and it has made con- siderable progress. What then, is this soilless cultivation? Allusion has already been made to the fact that the fruit has not been grown in any soil. Its bed is, on the other hand, a tank containing no fertilized sof, but either water or a mass of solid substance. In the present state of research, there are three dis- tinct methods of soilless cultiva- tion. These are the hydroponic method, sand cultivation and the method of sub-irrigation. With the hydroponic method, the root remains immersed in water, and, in the case of the other two it 1s grown on gravel washed cin- ders, crushed clinkers or in either granite or limestone chip- pings. The principle remains un- changed, whichever method is employed. Chemical nutritive salts are added to the water used and these provide for the growth of the plant without the aid of any human agency worth men- tioning. Phytobiological re search naturally, has ascertained what chemical mineral compon- ent parts each plant needs for its growth. For instance, for growing tomatoes, the nutritive solution would be composed of nitrogent, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, man- ganese and boron. The percents age of the individual salts has been accurately calculated. The hydroponic method is the simplest of the. three. Inside the tank a gridwire mesh is fitted over the layer of water contain- ing the mineral solution, and this mesh is covered with a mass of peat, wood-shavings or moss for the purpose of excluding light. Here the only work to be done is the renewing of the salt solution By Paul West according to the plants' consump- tion of minerals. In the case of sand culture, the mineral solu- tion is applied on the surface of the sand, whilst with the sub- irrigation system, the solution is introduced into the base of the tank by means of a system of pipes. In all three methods, the usual digging up of the soil, watering and weeding is eliminated. The ° saving of labor and time result- ing from this process is enormous. It is posiible to set up a whole sub-irrigation plant consisting of many tanks on one plece of ground, every tank would be con- nected to the plant, and all that is necessary would be to press a button or set a lever in motion and the renewal of the nutritive solution would be completed with- in a very short time. In the case of soilless cultivation, the every- day care of plants takes up only 2 per cent of the! expenditure of time that is otherwise needed. Another important advantage is a great reduction of plant di- seases, many of which originate in the root of the plant. As the root, in the case of soilless cul- tivation, has no contact with the soll, it grows up in a healthy state. Furthermore, it is worth while noticing that soilless cultivation * ® Consider Health Of British Miners * Ld The British Government is con- cerned with suppressing indus- trial sickness in the case of min- ers, as far as prophylactic meas- ures allow. Medical examinations for determining beyond all doubt the fitness of those men who choose mining as their trade are, as from November 1, to be con- ducted by the Ministry of Fuel and Power and the Ministry of Labor in co-operation. In this case, X-ray examinations are to be envisaged as a first essential. Such examinations are first of all to be introduced into the South Wales mining area. Advice to a Young Composer o-- LONDON, Dec. 14--Speaking of how he first started to write music, Benjamin Britten in a re- cent talk stressed the importance to a young composer of having to work under "discipline," of having to earn a living by writ- ing under instructions every sort of music--except bad music, When he was nineteen Ben- jamin Britten had to set about making his living and he deter- mined to do it through composi= tion. It was the only thing he cared about and he was sure it was possible, His first opportun=- ity came with the chance of working in a film company. This meant hard work. He had to work quickly, to force himself to work when he did not want to, and get used to working in all kinds of circumstances. The film company he was working for was not a big com- . mercial one; it was a documen= tary company and had little mon- ey. He had to write scores not 1) 8 for large orchestras but for not more than six or seven players and 'to use those instruments to make all the effects that each film demanded. He also had to be ingenious and try to imitate, not necessarily by musical instru- ments, but in the studio, the nat- ural sounds of everyday life. As well as music for films, he dis- covered that theatres sometimes wanted incidental music, and he believes that it was extremely good practice for him as a young composer to take exact instruc tions from the producers, this without going against his own ethics of self-criticism. Britten even believes it is a good thing for a young compos- er to have to write the lightest kinds of music. At one time a good cabaret singer asked him to write some songs for her, and he obliged, writing to the best of his ability some "blues" and a caly- pso of 'which he is not at all ashamed. -B facilitates closer planting because all competition among plants for water and fertilizers is eliminat- ed, though naturally sufficient room must be allowed for full growth of the top. Finally, soil- less cultivation enables a stricter check and control to be kept on the growth of plants, since the composition of the mineral nu- tritive solution can be adapted in the widest possible manner to their vital needs. The scientific centre of soilless cultivation in Britain is the Uni versity of Reading and this cen- tre is under the direction of Pro- fessor H. Stoughton who has been engaged on work of investi- gation since 1938, The professor has come to the conclusion that there is a promising commercial future for the sand culture apd sub-irrigation methods, whilst only a limited use can be made of the hydroponic method, large- ly on account of the fact that it is difficult to provide the roots with a sufficient quantity of air--that is to say, oxygen. But all three methods have been extensively used in Britain by professional as well as by amateur horticultur- ists. The latter are especially in- terested in the hydroponic meth- od because tt is the simplest. In addition to tomatoes, preference is given to the planting of lete tuces, radishes, beans, cucumbers, melons, and such flowers as car- nations and chrysanthemums. * Faster Service On Ocean Flights Passengers between Britain and America can now fly the Atlantic at an average speed of 300 m.p.h, but next year even faster aircraft will be put into service. The air passenger of 1047 will have the option of crossing the ocean asleep in a comfortable bed in a luxuriously equipped aircraft at a speed of 340 miles per hour or of having less comfort and no sleeping berth but travelling at 430 miles per hour. As recently explained by Mr. J. J. Trippe, the President of the Airways Association, in an address to the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, this speed will later be increased still further. * . . * Britain's New Radium Centre It has been decided to estab. lish in Britain a national centre for the processing and distribu. tion of radium, radon and arti. ficial radio-active substances re. quired for scientific, medical and industrial purposes. The centre will be a government establish. ment, to be operated by Thorium Ltd., acting as agents for Bri. tain's Ministry of Supply. As a first step, the ministry will pur. chase the radio-chemical busi. ness (including buildings and plant) owned by Thorium Ltd. at Amersham, England, with the exception of the manufacture of luminous compound and other secondary. industrial prod ucts,