Evening star., 1941-12-21

missed the entire problem. Those little
dots on the map in the far Pacific
seemed singularly unimportant
Important American residents of the
Philippines were inclined to laugh in
drama he played out with himself. They
were little jealous, too, perhaps, of the
marshals handsome penthouse atop the
Manila Hotel and his charming young
wife, the former Jean Faircloth, whom
he met and married in 1887.
A striking change occurred last sum-
mer. Shortly before he named Gen. Mac
Arthur commander of the Army in the
Far East, President Roosevelt apparently
decided that the Philippines could be de-
Tended in the event of war with Japan.
The general had won his long argument.
Not Britain, not even the Panama Canal,
had so high priority rating as the
islands A procession Of ships loaded
with war materials moved across the
Pacific to Manila Bay.
Takes Realistic View.
The irony is that within such short
time-a matter Of months perhaps even
weeks-the defense of the Philippines
would have been even stronger than it is
today. And likewise one of the tragedies
of the Japs' treacherous attack is the
loss of an unknown number of cargo
ships with their burden of precious ma
terials.
But in this moment of peril it is GER
tain that the general himself will not be
looking for alibis. He has argued re-
peatedly the Importance of defending
the islands even at great sacrifice. When
critics declared that the position of the
Philippines was hopeless, the general
replied that it would take half mil
lion men, SIC, 1000, 900, ,OOO tremendous cas-
ualties and three years time successfully
to invade the Philippines"
The final issue may turn on the rela-
tive Importance to the Pacific allies of
Singapore and the Philippines. If the
decision should 60 against the islands,
this romantic soldier would find it hard
to accept. Never given to orderly with
drawals," he is one of your derring do
fighting men.
Knows His Business.
A strategist himself, he would probably
come around to what was agreed to be
the realistic view Newspapermen and
diplomats who have talked with Gen.
Macarthur in passing through Manila in
recent months all agree about his love of
showmanship and his passion for rheto-
ric. But they also agree that beneath
that surface he knows his business as
soldier
On January 26 Gen. Macarthur will be
g.. He is lean and hard, still handsome
and considerably younger looking than
his years. This battle of the Philippines
is the elimination of his career and
into it he is putting all that he has
learned Of soldering. 1t is a part of
the world that he knows and loves and
of his own choice he is making his stand
on ground where the clan Macarthur
made history. Sometime ago the ques-
ton arose as to whether he should send
his wife and 3-year-old son back to the
security Of the States. Macarthur said
no. Not all wives and children could
make the trip back and therefore he
would not ask for this special privilege
After the outbreak of the war in Eu-
rope in 1899, friends of Gen. Macarthur
found him in what was for him an ex-
ceptionally gloomy mood. He felt that
the main theater would be, for q long
time at any rate, the continent of Eu-
rope. and he regretted his decision to
retire when so much was happening.
Now the whirligig OF war has shifted
and he is the principal actor in drama
of tremendous import to every American.
It u . role that undoubtedly he loves, q
role In which he will do his utmost.