MAN’S FLIGHT IN ROCKET

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28479, 8 January 1958, Page 9

MAN’S FLIGHT IN ROCKET

U.S. Reports Of Soviet Feat

fN Z Press Association—-Copy ng Hf (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK. January 7 The Moscow report that a man had rocketed 186 miles toward outer space and had returned to earth by parachute was the biggest news in many American newspapers today. But all dispatches emphasised that there had been no official confirmation and there were reports of Soviet censorship having killed stories filed by correspondents from the Russian capital.

The reports dominated two New York morning newspapers. The “Mirror” devoted its entire front page to its headline and a drawing of a manned earth satellite which was originally published in Moscow in 1955. The headline said: “Say Reds launch man in rocket: reaches 186 miles, ’chutes to safety.”

The New York “Daily News” said in a page-one banner*: “Rocket Man up 186 miles, ’Chutes back. Reds say.”

Both these papers gave extensive space to the reports on their inside pages. The New York "Herald Tribune” said across the top of page one: “First Space Trip by Man is Reported: Russian may have gone 186 miles returned.” A diagram by a staff artist depicted how the launching might have taken place The Washington “Post” also put the report on its first page, using nearly a column under the headline: “Report Manned Red Rocket.”

The “New York Times” was more conservative in its treatment. “Soviet Firing of Manned Rockets Rumoured but Unsubstantiated,” it said in a twocolumn headline at the bottom of its first page. Censorship Reported It reported that one of its correspondents in Moscow was interrupted by a censor as he was telephoning his dispatch to New York. It also said several dispatches by other correspondents concerning rumours about the launching of a manned rocket were known to have been killed by censorship. These rumours were understood to have originated in diplomatic sources in Moscow, the “New York Times” reported, and said that informative advices from its Moscow bureau suggested that the rumours be treated with the greatest caution. The action of the censor in interrupting transmission of the rumour was taken as a further indication that a firm basis for the reports was lacking, it said, noting that previous news of Soviet scientific achievements had come first from official quarters such as the official news agency. Tass.

If the Russians had launched a man into lower space they did it with a German-designed craft. Mr Eric Bergaust. editor of "Missiles and Rockets’’ magazine, said today. It had been known in missiles circles for several years that the Russians had been working since 1945 on such a space vehicle.

The craft, a rocket plane known as the T-4A, was designed to have a range of 12,000 miles and a speed of about 5000 miles an hour, Mr Bergaust said. The rocket plane was designed 'by a German scientist during World War 11. but the Germans were not able to develop it.

ASIA-AFRICA CONFERENCE

Major Win For

Communists

LONDON. January 7. ’"The somewhat complacent cables from London explaining that the resolutions of the recent Cairo Conference were not based on facts have found no echo in Kuala Lumpur where the conference was considered a major Communist victory,” says the “Manchester Guardian” correspondent in Kuala Lumpur. “Belated explanations, excuses and arguments merely arouse the question of why nobody produced them in Cairo. “The final resolution was based on the ‘Panch Shila,’ t|ie five prin ciples enunciated by India and China, which greatly influenced Asia as the only doctrine of international behaviour which is wholly Asian in origin. “It is impossible to believe that with careful preparation it would not have been possible to show that the British respect those principles far more than the Communists.

"Nobody explained, as has been subsequently done in cables from London, that the West wants the cessation of nuclear tests. "Thus although the Russians exploded a bomb while the conference was sitting they were able to appear as the upholders of disarmament against the stubborness of Western imperialists. “Although the conference did not represent governments it did represent the prejudices and beliefs of Asians. “With a Russian as one of the 11 permanent secretaries it is easy to guess how the prejudices will be reinforced. "The conference seems to call for a new Western approach whereby the British Commonwealth. including the colonies and protectorates, should be encouraged to participate in such meetings instead of being represented by fel-low-travellers who become heroes from the fact that they were there in spite of official disapproval.”

MURDERER FOUND INSANE

WISCONSIN RAPIDS (Wisconsin) January 6

Judge Herbert Bunde ruled today that Ed Gein was insane and committed him to an indefinite term in a mental institution.

Judge Bunde said he did no' believe Gein. a 51-year-old grave robber and murderer of two women, would see the outside world again

He ordered Gein to be sent to the State Hospital for the Criminally Insane at Waupun, Wisconsin. where he had been held most of the time since his "house of horrors” was discovered.