Evening star., 1951-05-05
The Political Mill
TIE ToIIrIcdI WW
Macarthur Stated Case
In Remarkable Fashion
General Has Stuck to His Text
Thut End Of War Is Victory
By Gould Lincoln

Gen. Douglas Macarthur has made a
remarkable presentation of his reasons
for increased military action against the
Chinese Reds in order to bring to VIC
toriouS end the war in Korea.
The case for the Truman program of
no change in the present military pro-
gram in Korea has still to be presented
to the Senate Foreign Relations and
Armed Services Committees which are
conducting the hearings in the investi-
cation of the administrations Far East
policy and the ousting of Gen. Mac
Arthur from his high commands.
The issue-which is the military policy
and conduct of the war in Korea against
the Chinese Reds-is of tremendous
concern to the people of America. Gen.
Macarthur has stuck to his text that
the ultimate end of war is victory, once
war has been joined, and that political
diplomacy. having failed to keep the
peace, is then subordinated What the
American people are entitled to know
and to understand is how best to
achieve victory.
Inquisitors Impressed.
The Macarthur statement of military
strategy is persuasive and undoubtedly
has, impressed the generals inquisitors,
They are inclined to recall his great
success in Korea, through the Inchon
invasion. Nor are they too greatly i'm
pressed with the arguments of Gen. Mac.
Arthur'S critics that the general was
mistaken when he said that he did not
expect an attack from the Chinese Reds
when the United Nations forces had
driven almost to the Manchurian border
in Korea. Gen. Macarthur has told the
committee that, whether the Chinese
Reds were to attack or not, the military
conduct OF the war would have contin-
ued the same: that as matter of fact,
1t succeeded in bringing the intentions
OF the Chinese Reds into the open.
Gen. Macarthur has conducted him
self on the same high plane, during the
Senate hearings, that he set in his ad-
dress to joint meeting of Congress on
his return to this country. There has
been no suggestion of partisan politics.
He has spoken as a military man, look
ing to the best interests of his country.
Nor have his critics on the Senate COM
mittees been able to shake him. To ques-
tions about the Presidents right and
mands he has returned an unqualified
answer that the President had that
right. His only criticism of the Presi-
dents action was that his summary dis
missal, with his successor $50 miles
away. endangered the security of the
country. He has, he insisted, carried out
every order and directive ever given him.
as soldier should.
Reasons for Assertion.
Further, Gen. Macarthur has told the
committee his reasons for his assertion
in his address to Congress that military
leaders, including the Joint Chiefs Of
Staff, had agreed with his military pro-
posals, except for actual bombing Of
enemy bases in Manchuria, producing
a series of recommendations made by
the Joint Chiefs of Staff January IL
last. He assumed, he said, that these
recommendations had been vetoed
either by the President or Secretary Of
Defense Marshall, although he never
had heard what became of them.
The administration is expected to do
all it can to break down the arguments
for the Macarthur military strategy.
How far the Joint Chiefs of Staff will
go remains to be seen. President Tru-
man has urged that Judgment be with
held until all the evidence is in. Pre-
sumably Gen. Macarthur will be given
an opportunity to be heard in rebuttal.
particularly if any charges of failure
to carry out his directives are made.
Chairman Russell of the Armed Services
Committee, acting as chairman of the
joint Senate committees, has shown
himself, in the conduct of the hearings,
as eminently fair. His intention Is to
get all the facts and to lay them open,
except where national security may be
involved.
What forces underlie the removal Of
Gen. Macarthur from all his high COM
mands have still to be developed. The
obvious rejoicing in some quarters, how
ever, has led to suspicious, already ar
ticulated. The question, too. has been
raised whether all the members Of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff concurred in ap-
proving his dismissal. 1t will be settled
when the Joint Chiefs are heard.