Evening star., 1944-01-07

general does not want his name
used by well-meaning friends or
anybody else.
In Army circles here the constant
reference to Gen. Macarthur as a
presidential candidate has caused
considerable discussion. Men who
have nothing to do with political
matters feel that their decisions
which must be made in accordance
with military requirements will be
criticized as either advancing or
retarding the Macarthur candidacy
Obviously clear-cut statement by
Gen. Macarthur would do much to
clear the air and prevent all possible
misunderstanding.
The question is being asked why
Gen. Macarthur doesn't make such
a statement. He could say, as did
Gen. Sherman, that he would not
accept if nominated. But while that
famous utterance is often cited as q
precedent, it is interesting to observe
that it is almost never repeated
where there is talk of a draft. All
during the time that President
Roosevelt was keeping silent about
third term, there were suggestions
that he should close the door and
stop all speculation. His reasoning
was doubtless that while in January,
1910, he might wish to take certain
course events later might cause him
to reverse his judgment. Thus it
was early in 1910 that Postmaster
General Farley expected that Mr..
Roosevelt would announce that he
would not be candidate for third
term. Then events in Europe devel-
oped which caused the President to
change his mind. He sent Under
secretary of State Sumner Welles to
Europe to make a survey, and when
Mr.. Welles returned there was, it is
believed, confidential information
that total war would begin soon.
And total war did begin on May 10,
1910, on which day almost everybody
who had had any doubts about a
third nomination for Mr.. Roosevelt
began to say that the denomination
was inevitable.
Around Gen. Macarthur are some
officers who know good deal about
politics. Former Gov. LaFollette OF
Wisconsin is on Gen. Macarthur
staff. There are others in his en-
tourage who no doubt admire Gen
Macarthur greatly and feel that he
should keep silent, not because he
really intends to be candidate,
but so that, if a miracle does happen
and he is nominated, then he should
be free to decide the question in
the light of what the circumstances
OF that particular month happen to
be and not on the basis of what is
happening in January, 1914.
It may be that the Macarthur
admirers think that maintenance Of
silence will strengthen Gen. Mac
Arthur's position in any requests he
might make for military help and
that more leverage is available to
him that way than if he completely
eliminates himself from considera-
ton now by a fiat statement of de-
clination.
But long ago Gen. Macarthur
became a soldier. His father was
a soldier. His whole training and
tradition is on the military side 1t
seems incredible to any one who
knows soldiers point of view tina.
in the middle of war any general
should think of giving up an I'M
portant command to accept the
nomination of a political party and
run against his own Commander in
Chief. 1t was done in Civil War
days, but 1t is questionable whether
enough votes would not be lost to
a general who withdrew from his
command as to insure his defeat.
The presidency is civil and po-
litical off1ce-not a military port
folio-and any one who has been
absent from this country on mill
tary duty as long as Gen. Mac
Arthur has been could hardly cope
with the vexing problems of state
as we'll as men like Gov. Dewey or
Wendell Willkie or Gov. Bricker or
Senator Burton of Ohio or any of
the other men being mentioned for
the Republican nomination.
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