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UNITED PRESS 1 NEWS : BRIEFS Report Ridgwoy to Head Army PARIS, Prance, May 6.— Gen. Matthew B. Ridgways scheduled flight to Washington within the next two weeks stirred speculation here today that President Eisenhower will appoint him army chief staff. Sources close to the supreme allied commander said Ridgway would attend congressional hearings and is expected to testify how last months "stretched out" NATO arms build-up will affect the armies under his command. Korea Casualties Hit 134,805 WASHINGTON, D. C, May 6.— American battle casualties in Korea now total 134,805, an increase of 395 over last weeks report, the Defense Department said today. The increase includes 89 dead, 279 wounded, and 27 missing. Last weeks report showed an increase of 623 casualties. The over-all total included 104,476 Army, 1,984 Navy, 26,897 Marine Corps and 1,448 Air Force casualties. One Lost in Channel Crash HARWICH, England, May 6. — An American freighter sliced a British channel ferry in two before dawn today and led a heroic rescue that ended with all but one of the 557 persons aboard both ships apparently saved. Several Americans were among those saved. An undetermined number of persons aboard the British Railways steamer Duke of York were injured, some seriously. GOP Seeks More Economies WASHINGTON, D. C, May 6.— Republican leaders talked hopefully today of finding more ways to cut the budget which, in spite of some initial whacks, still promises to leave the government knee-deep in red ink. Speaker Joseph W. Martin, Jr., insisted there will be no resort to "meat ax" methods. Reductions, he said, will be aimed primarily at waste. Reds Advance to Thailand HANOI, Indo-China, May 6.— The Communist invaders of Laos advanced to within 25 miles of the Thailand Siam border today as French paratroopers prepared to go into action from newly-arrived American planes. All signs indicated an imminent enemy lunge for the Mekong River border somewhere between Paksane and the Laotian administrative capital of Vientiane, 80 miles to the West. Truman to Begin Memoirs INDEPENDENCE, Mo., May 6.— Former President Harry S. Truman was ready today to "go to work on my memoirs," after completing a Hawaiian vacation, his first as an ordinary citizen in eight years. He said he hoped to get to his downtown Kansas City office today "after unpacking 21 suitcases and packages" he brought from Hawaii. Christie to Stand Trial LONDON, England, May 6. — John Christie, accused "Notting Hill strangler" was ordered today to stand trial for murder at the Old Baily, Londons famed central criminal court. Christie pleaded innocent at his hearing in the tiny Clerkenwell courtroom,, reserved his defense and called no evidence. Ponder UN Action in Asia WASHINGTON, D. C, May "6.— Secretary of State John Foster Dulles said today the United States is discussing "possible United Nations action" to curb Commuist aggression which he said threatens all southeast Asia and possibly Japan.
