High Explosive

On Capitol Hill one day last week, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee threw a barrage of friendly questions at strapping General James A. Van Fleet, 60, who had just returned to the U.S. for retirement from active service after 22 months in command of the Eighth Army in Korea. Democrat Lester Hunt of Wyoming was worried by persistent reports that the Eighth Army's ammunition stocks were low. Said Van Fleet: "There has been a serious shortage of ammunition ever since I have been in Korea. There has been a critical shortage at times. There is today a serious shortage of some types of ammunition."

Virginia's Harry Byrd promptly sent Defense Secretary Charles Wilson a letter beginning: "In my 20 years in the Senate I have never been more shocked ..." Committee Chairman Leverett Saltonstall followed up with a request that Wilson, Army Secretary Robert Stevens and Army Chief of Staff General J. Lawton Collins give their side of the ammunition story to the committee early this week. Wilson assured the Senators in advance that the Far East command had enough ammunition "to counter any enemy attack in Korea."

Other congressional matters last week: P:The Senate decided to have its 1,800 employees investigated by the FBI, but shouted down Maverick Wayne Morse's sarcastic proposal that Senators themselves be investigated.

P:The Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee wound up its hearings on tide-lands and prepared to send to the Senate floor a bill which would carry out Dwight Eisenhower's campaign promise to give the states ownership of the oil-rich offshore lands lying within their historic boundaries.

P:The Hawaii Statehood bill was cleared for early passage by the House when it received approval from the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

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