Evening star., 1944-04-30
MacArthur's Refusal
Hailed by Some Here
Vandenberg Silent
BY the Associated Press.

Gen. Douglas MacArthurs state
ment that he would not accept {
Republican presidential nomina
tion brought either silence or franl
expressions of pleasure from politi
cal leaders in Washington last night
Many Republicans declined com
ment, among them Senator Van
denberg, Republican, of Michigan
an early Macarthur enthusiast
whose ardor for the generals nom.
ination cooled about the time cor.
respondence between Gen. Mac
Arthur and Representative Miller
Republican, of Nebraska, became
public.
Mr.. Miller was not available fol-
comment.
"It is what I really expected OF
the general, although I have the
utmost respect for him." said Sen
ator White, Republican, of Maine
the acting minority leader in the
Senate. "It would be extremely
difficult for him to follow any other
course in the situation he now
occupies"
That's more like it," echoed
Senator Connally, Democrat, OF
Texas. MY congratulations to Gen
Macarthur. I have never believed
he would halt in his war services
to pursue politics.
Republican National Chairman
Spangler and Democratic National
Chairman Hannegan were away
from Washington when Gen. Mac
Arthur's statement became public
Three Votes Already Pledged.
In spurning all presidential talk
Gen. Macarthur abandoned three
national convention votes which
were pledged to him in the Wis
consin primary Although he had
no other specific delegate pledges,
he piled up an impressive popular
vote in Illinois recently where he
ran in a presidential preference
primary against Riley Bender,
politically unknown Chicago real
estate man.
In that election Gen. Macarthur
got almost as many votes as Gov.
Dwight Green in the latter's cam
paign for denomination.
Senator Ball, Republican of Min
resota, an advocate of 1t. Comdr.
Harold e. Stassen for the Republi-
can presidential nomination, re-
fused to comment on the Macarthur
statement, as did Senator Taft, Re-
publican, of Ohio, and most of the
other Congressional leaders of both
parties.
Senator Wheeler Agrees.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, of
Montana, who is frequently at odds
with the Roosevelt administration,
said ''I am glad Gen. Macarthur
made that statement. I frankly do
not believe any general should be
nominated for President"
Other comment in Washington:
Representative Mas, Republican,
of Minnesota, a colonel in the Ma
rine Corps Reserve who saw duty
in the Pacific: Il am not surprised,
as Gen. Macarthur told me in 1912
when I was out there that he had
no political ambition and his only
ambition was to recapture the
Philippines and retire with his fam
lily, and he asked me to convey that
message to President Roosevelt,
which I did"
Rep. Gale, Republican, Minnesota,
6tassen supporter: Under the cir
cumstances, 1t is about all that Gen.
Macarthur could say. He, Is an
extraordinarily good general and he
Is showing good taste in his state
ment."
Bricker Not Surprised.
At Columbus, Gov. John w. Brick
er of Ohio, himself a candidate for
the Republican presidential nomina-
tion, said:
"I am not at all surprised. He is
one of the great generals of our
Army, with burning zeal to retake
the Philippines and lick the Japs.
I'VE should all do everything with
In our power to so implement his ef-
fort that he may be able to win them