Mao Tse-Tung Resigns Position; West Refuses to Leave Berlin; Air Force Crew Launches Thor

WARSAW--Mao Tse-tung, Communist China's economic, political, and governmental boss, is quitting as chief of state next month. Peiping confirmed this, but emphasized that Mao will remain at the helm of Red China as boss of the Chinese Communist party, according to diplomatic advices reaching Warsaw.

Though the retirement was pictured by the Chinese as strictly voluntary, Western envoys in this Polish capital expressed belief that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev might have had a hand in it. They said that if Khrushchev did not precipitate Mao's step directly, they were certain he was pleased with it.

Foreign Minister Chen Yi notified foreigners that the 65-year-old father of the Red Chinese revolution--though keeping his big job as party chairman--will retire from the party presidency upon expiration of his term in January.

West Refuses to Leave Berlin

PARIS--A solid rank of North Atlantic treaty powers pledged Tuesday full support to the Western nations in their determination to reject Russia's demand that they get out of West Berlin.

Then they promptly declared their willingness to bargain with the Russians on Berlin, and on Germany as a whole, security, and disarmament.

In the communique at the end of their first day's meeting, the 15 nations declared: "The member states of NATO could not approve a solution of the Berlin question which jeopardized the right of Western powers to remain in Berlin." Moreover, they declared that the Soviet Union would be responsible for any hampering of traffic between the West and the former German capital.

Air Force Lobs Thor

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif--An Air Force crew lobbed a combatype Thor missile 1,500 miles westward over the Pacific missile range Tuesday.

The 65-foot high Thor was fired by the same type of crew that would launch it in the field under combat conditions.

It was the first launching at this new Air Force missile base and the free world's first firing of a ballistic under push button warfare circumstances. The 11-man crew fired the missile at 3:43 p.m., only 11 minutes after starting to fill it with fuel.