Evening star., 1943-12-19
BY ARTHUR r. FORD.

A l. Il L 4 u HEAD(9 UARTERS,
Southwest Pacific, Dec. 18.-Gen.
Douglas Macarthur, commander in
chief of Allied forces in the South
west Pacific, gave an interview of
one and one-half hours to the Ca
madam newspaper party visiting
Australia.
HeS talked to us off the record
and in English as mastery and as
vigorous as the style of Prime Min
lister Churchill. He gave us his
views of the progress and strategy
of the war both in Europe and in
the Pacific and his ideas of what
should be done to bring the war to
a successful conclusion.
Gen. Macarthur also touched on
the delicate subject of United
States politics and wound up with
his philosophy of war and life in
which he quoted the Bible, Adam
Smith and Abraham Lincoln.
The generals utterances will have
to remain the secret of the news
paper delegation which had the op-
portunity of interviewing the man
whom the people of Australia, as
term of affection, call THE
Great White Chief"
Cabinet Member Uses Term.
In our plane flying to headquar-
ters was an Australian cabinet min
lister from Canberra. He quite seri-
ously told me that he intended to
see the Great White Chief" The
people of Australia are not hero
worshipers. They are just the op-
posite.
But Gen. Macarthur landed in
Australia at a time when the coun-
try was in desperate plight. The
flower of the Australian Army and
Air Force, with all their equipment,
were in Britain or the Middle East.
The japanese were marching south
ward. 1t seemed as if nothing could
stop them. Australia feveriShly pre-
pared to meet the enemy, but real
lied the outlook was dark
Then came Gen. Macarthur, hero
of the Philippines, the man who
had rallied that country to hold up
the progress of the japanese. Aus
tralia views the United States
through the eyes of Hollywood and
he was everything that Hollywood
painted an American hero He was
handsome. He was dominating. He
was masterful. He was courageous.
And he was an orator.
Cheered by People.
Australia accepted Gen. Mac
Arthur with enthusiasm. The people
cheered him and the government CO.
operated with him.
We found Gen. Macarthur all the
Australian people said of him
He is more than so, but looks so.
He is tall. erect, alert. handsome and
soldlerly looking. His hair is thin
ming, but there are no signs of gray.
He received us cordially as Cana
dians and paid tribute to the fighting
qualities of Canadian soldiers, whom
he learned to admire in France In
the last war He Is native of
Arkansas and knows the Dominion
well.
On the wall Of his office behind
his desk was a fine picture of WASH
ington and facing him was an en-
craving of Lincoln. On the side wall
was a picture of the fathers of the
republic signing the Declaration of
Independence
After introductions I asked him If
he would give us his views on the
progress Of the war and explain the
strategy in the Pacific. making it
clear that he would only talk off
the record, he launched into an hour
and a half of intimate and reveal
Ing discussion Of the whole situa-
ton.
Covered Entire World.
He started with Europe and kept
moving eastward until he had COW
cred the whole world orbit. A lead
ing question on American politics
started him off on that subject and
he finished with a depression on
philosophy, subject with which
he admitted he was not altogether
familiar. He amazed us with his
command of English. Not even Mr..
Churchill has wider vocabulary
or better use of words.
At times when he warmed up to
his subject he spoke with both elo-
quence and vigor. He has a logical
mind. He has courage as his mill
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