Evening star., 1948-03-25
Each Party May Turn
To Military Leader
# War Breaks Out
By David Laurence

y
This Is the year in which the
unexpected may happen In national
politics.
Many suggestions are heard as to
what conceivably could happen
The war crisis has furnished an op-
portunity to predict that, II war
should break out, PresidenG Truman
might make a gesture o! political
self-sacrifice and urge the Demo-
cratic National Convention to nom-
mate Secretary of State Marshall
by acclamation for the Presidency.
While Mr.. Marshall has stated in
positive terms that he could not
be drafted for high Office, there is
the same feeling about him as per-
sists about Gen. Eisenhower. Some
how there Is q difference between
q draft imposed in peacetime and
one that might be imposed in time
of war, when the President actively
becomes the Commander in Chief.
The President admires George
Marshall as an outstanding soldier
and leader. If Mr.. Truman were
to withdraw at the last moment
it would certainly be only under
such dramatic circumstances as
would enable the American people
to benefit by the selection of a
nonpolitical figure Of established
prestige.
Unique Experience.
AS Secretary of State, Mr.. Mar
shall has had unique experience
1t is evident that he has not felt
at home in the civilian Office which
he holds, where the pressures of
internal politics not infrequently
plague even the most objective per-
sonahty.
But with a war crisis to deal with
and one that might require sudden
industrial mobilization on a wide
scale, it seems probable that a man
of Mr.. Marshall's standing could
deal with the situation effectively
and receive the wholehearted sup
port of both political parties.
Curiously enough, talk of war
crisis has revived interest in the
possibility OF persuading Gen.
Eisenhower to change his mind.
Likewise, the prospect Of war
emergency is the central theme of
conversation among many who are
urging the candidacy of Gen.
Macarthur.
But if war Is to come in the next
four years of a Presidents term.
there is undoubtedly one man above
all others who is active today and
yet retains in his mind the expert
ence with which this Government
was confronted on a global scale
from 1e41 to 1e45.
Mr.. Marshall participated in all
the conferences of the high COM
mand with respect to world strategy.
He would be ably f1anked by James
Forrestal, Secretary Of Defense, an
another official of experience and
rare ability and one who can be de-
pended on to bring about practical
unification of the armed services so
as to get the most effective results.
Talk of war does not necessarily
mean that war Is certain. But there
are every day more and more people
in the official circle and on Capitol
Hill who are saying that Russia is
$iriving America to position where
war will be inevitable.
q. 9. Patience Being Tried.
There is evidence that American
patience is being severely tried by
Russian tactics and that the day of
a showdown may not be far distant.
Should 1t come between now and
the July convention of the Demo-
cratic Party, it would confront the
Nation with a real political crisis.
None of the men being mentioned
most often for the Republican NOM
ination-Gov. Dewey, Senator Taft
or Senator Vandenberg familiar
with the administrative side of war
operations. The possibility that
Gen. Eisenhower might yet be
drafted if the war picture grows
dark is discussed among political
observers and political leaders not
vithstanding his letter Of self
elimination. The letter dealt with
political candidates. in peacetime.
A war emergency overrides any ones
personal wishes.
While there are prejudices among
the voters of both political parties
against the choice of a military man
for the presidency, this feeling does
not run as strong when a national
crisis arises involving the exercise
of military judgment.
The late President Roosevelt was
very familiar with the general
theory of military and naval opera
tions and was able to bring to the
council table rare experience
which he got in World War I when
he was Assistant Secretary OF the
Navy and was stationed in London.
Mr.. Truman is not any more IA
miliar with global strategy than the
men being mentioned for the Re-
publican nomination. That is why,
if an emergency comes. it would not
be surprising for each party to turn
to military men for leadership.
1t all adds up to one simple fact
1948 may bring the unexpected in
ternationally and the unexpected
nationally
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