Evening star., 1951-04-19
By Fred Sporks
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
the Chieaoo Dolly Naxs

SoreiSu @oUespcndenf OF The Ssor und
the Chicago Dolly News
TOKYO, April 19.-In the fox.
holes Of Korea (where I have JUS
been), in gloomy, Straw-coveree
tents at regiments and divisions
they're still talking about the
great Macarthur controversy
just as you're talking about it ir
pub and parlor. but with more
personal interest.
To them a military stroke oi
genius-or error-might mean 9
quicker return home or loss o1
life and limb.
In Korea I spoke to well ovel
100 officers and GIs-from pri-
Yates to generals-trying to sam
pie their minds on this shift. The
overwhelming majority told me:
1T was a blow which will de
our country no good"
How this act of dismissal was
committed, the sudden firing, the
order to get out" affected the
individual soldier as much as the
act, the removal, itself.
Discussed for Months.
I'll break my poll into three Sec
tions. FirSt-staff and general
officers:
At this level it had been dis
cussed for long months that ele-
ments in the Pentagon Building,
supported by Gen. Marshall and
President Truman, were anxious
to get rid of Gen. Macarthur, for
SO long "out of their direct con-
troll" The failure of his intel
ligence. service, his unfortunate
'home for Christmas" statement,
the death Of Gen. Walker in Ko-
rea. gave them the opening.
When the press first reported
In January that attempts were
being made to muzzle Gen. Mac
Arthur and turn the full spotlight
on Gen. RidgWay, "the big build
up" was sent here to take the war
command away from Gen. MacAr-
thur and eventually create a Sit
uation making it impossible for
Gen. Macarthur to continue.
This opinion by most of our
leading commanders in Korea in
no way detracts from Gen. Ridg-
way and the job he's done. Nor
Is it assumed at these levels to
which I now refer that Gen. Ridg-
way as party to the calculated
buildup for the sacking of Gen.
Macarthur, although he couldn' t
help but be conscious of it.
Gen. Ridgway's magnificent
mastery of a critical situation at
the time of his arrival merely per-
mitted-as the Pentagon had
hoped-a new personality to grow
up and take the headline play
away from Gen. Macarthur.
Called State Department Victory.
One Of the more bitter top
brassers said:
Here is a victory for the State
Department Asiatic experts whose
policies failed so completely"
This officer, long stationed in
China, added:
: Macarthur has long branded
them failures and Communist
coddlers. They have not forgot
ten. Furthermore, by branding
them failures, Gen. Macarthur
touched the most sensitive part of
Gen. Marshall's career. Gen. Mar
shall supported the State Depart
ment line during his mission to
CHINA mission that failed"
Junior officers and foxhole COM
manders:
Most startling to this group is
that the Presidents removal order
was so sweeping. :
= Most of them>feel that he didn't
only remove Gen. MacArthur-but
that he also removed for all prac-
tical purposes Gen. Ridgway from
command Of the war by giving him
additional tremendous occupation
problems.
They are extremely fond of Gen.
Ridgway, who has visited them in
steel-seared zones and shared their
bitches during shellings.
. They are convinced-despite re-
assurances-that Gen. RidgWay
will not be able to personally direct
the Korean war what with the up
coming japanese peace treaty and
other problems.
They know it will take time for
the able Gen. James Van Fleet to
At into his new role, which is only
normal.
Furthermore, all officers are fully
conscious that Gen. Ridgway has
yet to fight his major battle here.
So far he has pursued clever
foe who has withdrawn in excel
lent shape. Officers are convinced
the Chinese will soon launch a
fierce counterattack-a this is
the time Gen. Ridgway, who has
carefully built a strong line along
the parallel. is distracted from the
vital job at hand.
These Junior of11cers-like G1s
ARE also troubled about the rea-
sons given for the removal of
Gen. Macarthur - because he
spoke out for air-bombing the
Chinese homeland.
One said: Macarthur has been
canned for demanding that we
fight an all-out war against the
Chinese and bomb their supply
lines. He spoke for every guy
fighting here. Are we to be the
forgotten army? Will our lives
be mere political poker cards?"
The GIs:
The first news about the dis