Evening star., 1948-01-28
Eisenhower ScutiIed
Boom for Macarthur,
Job Policy Of Truman
Letter Is Likely TO End
Selection of Generals
For civiIion Places
By David Laurence

Whatever were the pressureS or
arguments that caused Gen. Eisen-
hover to make up his mind to close
the door completely to political Of
fee, there can be no doubt that his
letter has accomplished much more
than self -effacement.
Not only will the Republicans find
1t impractical to consider Gen. Mac
Arthur as a nominee but 1t is doubt
full whether the Democratic admin
istration will be able to pursue its
course Of selecting military men for
high appointive posts that should
really be occupied by civilians.
In sense, Gen. Eisenhower
touched, unwittingly perhaps, on a
doctrine which has been rapidly
gaining support In recent months
namely, that the military should
not have a part even In the diplo-
matte branches Of the Government.
Only the immense personal popu-
larity of Gen. Marshall keeps the
issue from breaking out into the
open. What Gen. Eisenhower said
about himself and the need for
subordinating the military to the
civilian applies equally well to the
fact that the President has Sec
retary of State who has spent all
Of his life in military affairs.
Safe Bet on Cabinet.
1t seems a safe bet that, If Gen.
Marshall retires, there will be no
appointment of Gen. Eisenhower or
any one else Of military rank to oc-
cupy the top post in the cabinet.
Gen. Eisenhower, or those init
mate friends who may have dis
cussed the issue with him, must
have realized that the big issue of
the campaign would have been mill
tary versus civilian control in the
event that the nomination went to
q soldier. The Democrats would
have been somewhat embarrassed in
such a campaign, of course, because
they could hardly have criticized the
Republicans for selecting military
man to head the ticket as long as
Gen. Marshall Is the most powerful
man In the country in determining
policies that may avoid or lead to
a third world war.
President Truman has completely
abdicated on foreign policy and
leaves it entirely to Gen. Marshall.
The Eisenhower letter states clearly
the doctrine of the separation of the
military from the civilian in
America. It says on this point:
''It is my conviction that the nee
essary and wise subordination of
the military to civil power will be
best sustained and our people will
have greater confidence that 1t is
so sustained when lifelong profess
sional soldiers, in the absence Of
some obvious and overriding rea-
sons, abstain from seeking high
political Office"
Fear Indoctrination.
Perhaps the issue is most dis
cussed in connection with the pro-
posals for universal military train
ing. Much of the opposition comes
from those groups which fear mill
tary domination of our Government
or at least the indoctrination of
youth In military viewpoint which
might affect their attitude toward
civilian control.
Undoubtedly Gen. Eisenhower,
who is deeply interested in the
adoption by Congress of the uni
versal military training program,
saw the local politicians on the
Democratic side engaging in cam
paign against militarism If he were
nominated-and this, in turn, could
only have injurious effects on the
administrations support of the
training program. There might have
developed an antagonism to the mil
itary viewpoint to such degree as
to weaken the Truman adDinistra-
tion's s espousal of the cause.
What Gen. Eisenhower has done
really takes the heat off the mill
tarization argument and shows that
even a military man of his standing
does not want to see civilian con-
trolls subordinated to military view
points. 1t is a salutary development
and comes at time when there has
been in Washington tendency to
fill important positions with military
men able In their profession but
unused to the f1exibilities of civilian
Government.
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