Evening star., 1950-10-21
Macarthur Believed
To Regard Truman S
Visit as a Stunt
General MeticuIousIy
Correct in Interview
With the President
By Dorothy Thompson

By Dorothy Thompson
When Harold E. Stassen sug-
gested that the Presidents visit
to meet Gen. Macarthur was not
for reasons of state but for party
politics. Mr.. Stassen, of course,
was playing politics, too.
We have no way of knowing
whether the Presidents sudden
decision to meet the general orig
mated, as Mr.. Stassen suggests,
not with diplomatic OF defense
officials, but among the Presi-
dents Missouri buddies concerned
that he share headlines with the
victorious general.
Nor do we know whether the
trip was motivated-as the Presi-
dents anti-MacArthur supporters
suggest-by the Presidents in
tention to assert who is boss on
Far Eastern policy.
But there is internal evidence,
from the conference itself. to sug-
gest that Gen. Macarthur re-
garded the conference as a po-
htical publicity stunt.
Meticulously Correct.
This is not from anything the
general said. He was meticu-
lously correct, maintaining the
posture he has only once aban-
doned, of a disciplined soldier
withholding his own ideas.
The evidence therefore-sug-
gesting a remote disdain-is from
what Gen. Macarthur did not say
The general withdrew himself
from publicity aspects. He de-
clined all comment to reporters
Asked, How do things shape up?'
the President replied, Perfectly!
I've never had a more sat-
isfactory conference since I be-
came President" But the gen.
eral said, "All comments will
have to come from the publicity
man Of the President" When
pressed. Can you give your i'm
pressions Of the President?" He
reiterated, "All discussions are In
the hands of Mr.. Ross" Charles
A. Ross is White House press
secretary.
There was another touch. Re.
porters. admitted to the shack
where the historic conference took
place, saw Gen. Macarthur read.
ing and initiating the final draft
OF the Truman statement, after
which, "he stood around his
manner distracted. Once he took
out a gold pocket watch, looked
at it, rubbed a finger slowly over
Its crystal, and returned it to his
pocket"
What did this gesture express
but the thought: What a waste
Of time!
He was overheard to say to Gen
Omar Bradley, apparently in an
swer to a remark: II haven't been
In Washington in 13 years"
An aide of the President said
that the President and Gen. Mac
Arthur obviously liked each
other" There was no similar
comment from the general.
Brief, Makeshift Meeting.
The meeting was extraordinarily
brief and makeshift, for con-
ference between the President and
the commander of all Allied forces
IN occupied Japan, of American
forces in the Far East and United
Nations forces in Korea; between
. President whose knowledge of
the Far East is, at best. second
hand. and one who is, by consent
even of his personal enemies, the
greatest living American military
mind, one who again has pulled
victory out Of wounds and sore
defeat" and an American Of un-
equaled administrative experience
in Far Eastern affairs.
No agenda apparently existed
1.-THE President conducted the brief
meeting from scribbled notes"
No arrangements were made
for the generals departure. mot
even the seedy Civil Aeronautics
sedan in which the two principals
rode together on the Presidents
arrival was on hand" The gen.
erals pilot, looking for transpor-
tation, was churlishly informed by
q jeep driver that he would carry
the general "if it's an order
The general-now decorated by
one more medal on the most deco
rated American breast-drove back
to the hut where he had spent
the night, sitting beside the driver
of pickup truck.
Only in Tokyo did Gen. Mac
Arthur make formal statement
designed to raise American pres
tige in the Far East.
"The Presidents visit cannot
fail to arouse enthusiasm through
out the Far East where it will be
interpreted as symbolizing a firm
determination that peace shall be
secure and that Asia shall
be free and not enslaved."
Gen. Macarthur thus does his
best to see that the conference is
10 interpreted. How the American
people will interpret 1t, is another
matter.
tReleased By the Bell Syndicate. me,
pad,Irad Wnrk Waak fnan