Russians Release Army Trucks After Hindering Road to Berlin; Senate Kills Republican Measure

HELMSTEDT, Germany, Feb. 4--Under sharp attack by the United States, Soviet authorities yesterday turned loose a U.S. Army truck convoy they had held in East Germany for 53 hours.

The four-truck convoy and its five grim soldiers rolled into West Germany, past the checkpoint on the border between East and West Germany, at 6:12 p.m.

That was after the U.S. State Department, backed by President Eisenhower, had delivered a stiff protest to Moscow against any interference with the Wesern Allies' access to Berlin.

Democrats Veto Housing Bill

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4--The Senate turned down yesterday a Republican substitute aimed at cutting a $2,925,000,000 Democratic housing bill back to levels favored by President Eisenhower.

Only a little earlier, the House voted 310-89 for a 300-million-dollar GI home loan bill over protests from Republicans that "budget busters are on the move."

The big issue centered around proposed spending in the fiscal year starting next July 1. All the programs extend over several years.

Eisenhower said at his news conference, in comment on the Democratic bill:

"This means that right off in the very first bill the budget is to be unbalanced."

Air Force Launches Atlas

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Feb. 4--Atlas No. 20 logged a highly successful flight yesterday in the Air Force's stepped up campaign to develop the mighty intercontinental range ballistic missile.

The 80-foot Atlas, present mainstay of the U.S. missile arsenal, thundered aloft in the morning darkness. It hung in the sky as a white dot of light for more than three minutes before fading.

The Air Force announced later that the missile had a successful flight at a distance less than intercontinental range, but officials did not elaborate.

Hawaii Bill Approved

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4--A bill to make Hawaii the 50th state moved one step forward yesterday by getting a 5-4 vote of approval by the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.