Evening star., 1942-03-22
Filipinos Proud to Contribute
Macarthur to United Nations
Island Natives See His Transfer to Australia as
Improving Chance for Ultimate Victory
Against Japanese
By James G. Wingo.

War was never so far-fetched, Gen Mac
Arthur Immediately went to work on his
four r-army plan President Roosevelt
found him hard at work on that plan,
liked it and broke moss-covered Army
precedent to keep the general beyond the
regular term, in order that he might
complete the job.
Gen. Macarthur suffered many dis.
couragements and disappointments dur.
ing his five years as the Arny's head. It
was the height of peacetime, and mill
tary men were at discount.
However, when he sailed for Manila in
response to Philippine President-elect
Manuel Quezon's invitation to build up
Commonwealth army, he left Washing
ton knowing his plans were ready for
the time when another chief of stan
would need them. MacArthur's four
army plan was design for an unpre-
cedentedly large army in case of United
States involvement in another World
War.
ROosecelt's Tribute.
When Gen. Macarthur retired, Presi.
dent Roosevelt, in thanking him for his
Outstanding service" wrote: "Your rec
ord in war and in peace is a brilliant
chapter of American history"
The Filipinos welcomed Macarthur as
the one man who could show them how
to build national security. preparatory to
their assumption of complete independ-
ence in 1916. They not only hailed him
enthusiastically but also offered to pay
him well over six times what he had
been getting and is now getting as q
United States Army four star general.
What he has accomplished in the
Philippines in the last six years is now
regarded as glorious chapter in United
States military history. Probably only
Gen. Macarthur could have done it.
A group of newspapermen from the
United States, including myself, who at
tended the Inauguration of the Philip
pine Commonwealth in November, 1885,
was present at the Manila Gridiron Club
dinner during which Gen. MacArthur's
mission to the islands was satirized. On
the stage two seedy. stoop- -shouldered,
hungry-looking Filipinos in unidentified
uniforms appeared on the stage and an
nounced that they were MacArthur's
Philippine Army. The audience roared
with laughter. Gen. Macarthur stood
up and remarked that he was glad to
know that he already had two men.
Gen. MacArthur's plan was to build by
July 4, 1916. scheduled date Of Philip
pine independence, Philippine Army of
$4,000 men in active service and 800 900
reservists at the incredibly low cost of
only s8,OOO'OOO annually. When Filipino
politics later complained that even that
small amount was too onerous an item
for the commonwealth governments
budget to continue. the number of young
men called up annually was reduced by
half to 10000.
Filipino Army.
Field Marshal Macarthur saw to It
that those called up learned thoroughly
the fundamentals of soldering during
their allotted six months in the Army.
When he assumed command of the
United States Far East Army last sum-
mer, he had made fine soldiers out Of
100000 Filipino youths.
Granted authority by President Roose-
welt to incorporate the Philippine Army
into the United States Army Gen. Mac
Arthur took in 10000 Filipinos last Sep
tember with the view of incorporating
the rest of the Filipino reservists as fast
as they could be properly equipped How
many more Filipinos Gen Macarthur
was able to take in before the Japanese
struck on December is not known, but
it was disclosed in Manila late in No.
vember that the American Filipino forces
under MacArthurs command would
reach 125OO0 officers and men by the
end of 1941.
The Macarthur trained men have
proved their worth in the battle of the
Philippines. American officers again and
again have praised their behavior gen.
erously.
In Manila Gen. Macarthur exercised
splendid diplomacy. He got in good
terms with all political factions.
With all his reputation as strict
(See WINGO, Page B-3)