Evening star., 1950-12-08
Explanation Offered
On 'Directives' Issued
To Gen. Macarthur
Has Usual Discretion
Given by U. S. to its
MiIitory Commanders
By David Laurence

To get clear idea of the actual
working arrangement between
the military command in Korea
and the United Nations. this cor
respondent sought and obtained
from one of the top officials OF
the American Government today
an explanation that throws a
good deal of light on the mis-
understanding current with re-
spect to "directives" issued to
General Macarthur.
"The first thing to be noted" :"
says my informant. lis that the
United States Government is act
ing as the agent of the United
Nations. This really means that
the President of the United
States is the agent of the U N.
in carrying out the military OBJ
jectives of the U. N. resolution of
last June.
Regular Channels.
Gen. Macarthur has no direct
connection with the U. N. although
he is frequently referred to as
reporting to the u. NJ In fact.
Gen. Macarthur sends all his mes
sages through regular channels.
They come to the Defense Depart
ment which, of course. includes
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and an
swers are sent back through the
same channel. If the matter is
one on which consultation with
the Department of State is neces-
sary, then the message is referred
to that department and any neces-
sary word is sent back to Gen.
Macarthur as the action of the
Defense Department and not of
any other agency.
Sometimes Gen. Macarthur is
asked whether a different wording
in a proposed instruction is desir-
able but this exchange of views is
entirely within the United States
Government. If this Government
decides, however. that some ques-
ton has arisen which requires
consultation with the U. N. or
transmission to the U. N. of the
message or report, as the case may
be, this is then sent to the De-
partment of State for relay to the
U. NJ"
From the foregoing it will be
apparent that Gen. Macarthur has
the usual discretion given by the
United States to its military COM
manders in a theater of war and
that he is subject to the usual
instructions such commander re-
ceives. But to say, on the other
hand, that Gen. Macarthur has
been given, any commands or
orders except those covered by the
resolutions of the U. N. would be
incorrect. 1t is basically the Amer
lean Governments Interpretation
OF the resolutions of the U. N. and
the mission as entrusted to him
that is binding on Gen. Mac
Arthur. Thus the decision to al
low no bombardment of Man
churian bases by MacArthur's
forces was taken some time ago
by the American Government
after ascertaining the, views of
nations of the U. N. and
after consideration inside the
United States Government with
all departments concerned in the
making of American policy.
There are occasions, it is ex-
planned, when the American off,
cials, knowing the probable re-
action of the U. NJ, do not feel
1t necessary to ask for a specific
reaction to a proposal. Under
such circumstances the messages
to Gen. Macarthur sometimes ex-
plain the reasons for the policy
being pursued but they do not
necessarily reflect the views of
oCnef governments.
Kept Informed.
It has been reported, for in
stance. that the British govern
ment did not wish the MacAr-
thur forces to approach the Man.
churian border. 1t has been re-
ported also that Gen. Macarthur
was not supposed to go far be-
yond the 38th Parallel. But it
would not be necessary to relay
any such representations to Gen.
Macarthur, though he is doubt
less kept informed concerning
reasons for any limitations i'm
posed on his military operations.
He was never instructed to hold
up his offensive or to stop any,
where short of the Manchurian
border.
Whatever policies, therefore,
have been pursued in Korea by
Gen. Macarthur are those which
his own Government-acting as
the. agent of the U. N.-formu-
lated in the belief. that such poll
cies represented the best way to
carry out the mission originally
assigned to U. N. forces in Korea.
For these reasons it is equally
inaccurate to say now that it is
the u. N. as such which is against
bombardment Of Manchurian
bases. The Washington Govern
ment itself happens to be opposed
to such action at this time. But
if it should be deemed desirable
to order such a bombardment, it
is within the power Of the United
States Government-acting again
es the agent of the U. N.-to
take whatever steps may be nee
essary to take in a military emer-
gency. Consultation with other
governments would, of course, be
carried on if there were time.
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