Evening star., 1951-05-31
The Political Mill
Inquiry FoiIs to Lessen
Stature of Macarthur
White House Originated Ideo
Of Firing, Testimony Shows
The Political Min

White House Originated Ideo
Of Firing, Testimony Shows
By Gould Lincoln
The Joint Chiefs Of STAFF have been
heard in the Macarthur controversy
and still Gen. Douglas MacArthur's
stature has not been lessened. It is
clear also from the testimony given be-
fore the Senate Foreign Relations and
Armed Services Committees that the
idea Of dismissing Gen. Macarthur from
his commands in the Far East did not
originate with the Joint Chiefs Of Staff.
The idea originated with the White
House, and the Joint Chiefs concurred.
Gen. MacArthur,s knowledge of Far
Eastern affairs was gained from per-
sonal observation over many years. To
the Kremlin he was Americas most
feared and hated representative. Fur
ther, in his handling Of Japan after the
close Of hosthities in the second World
Wal. he demonstrated his ability to deal
with the Russian Soviet governments
representatives with entire firmneSs.
Had his ideas been followed in Washing
ton, China might never have been lost
to the Communists. But as Gen. Mac
Arthur testified when he appeared be-
fore the Senate committees, his advice
on China was never sought. Gen. Mac
Arthur. not the State Department,
understood the aims and the strategy Of
the Russian Communists. Whatever
the attitude Of the department today, it
failed to group or to evaluate the moves
60
concerned.
Country Awaits Report.
The Senate committees have still to
complete their inquiry into the Mac
Arthur incident, and the conduct of
United States policy in the Far East.
The country will await their report with
great interest. The fever heat Of resent.
ment, aroused by the removal of Mac
Arthur, has subsidized. But it Is still going
to take great deal to convince q vast
number OF Americans that President
Truman was correct in his action. No
one questions, it is true. the right Of the
President. as Commander in Chief, to
remove Macarthur from his posts. But
millions are questioning the wisdom of
his act. which lost to the country the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. who killed the
kremlins hope Of communizing Japan,
and brought that nation from an enemy
to democratic form of government,
friendly to the United States.
The adminiStration-and the Chiefs
OF Stan-have made much of the argu-
ment that If the United States and the
United Nations had followed the mill
tary program in Korea advocated BY
Gen. Macarthur, third World War
might have been precipitated. That.
after all, is still a hypothetical question.
The administration takes the position
that the bombing of enemy bases and
concentrations in Manchuria and the
blockading Of China ports and the use
OF Chinese Nationalist soldiers in the
Korean war;, and on the mainland of
China. would have brought Russia into
the war overnight Gen. Macarthur
takes the position that Russia will only
attack when she is convinced she Is
ready-and therefore the withholding
OF an all-out attempt by the United
Nations to win the Korean war would
not materially affect the Russian de-
ciSion
Dig question Unanswered.
Americans will be slow to disregard
Gen. MacArthur's fiat statement to
Congress, when he spoke on his return
to the United States He said: 7"Once
war is forced upon us, there is no other
alternative than to apply every avail.
able means to bring it to swift end.
Wars very objective is victory-not pro-
longed indecision. In war. indeed, there
can be no substitute for victory"
What reason, also. is there to believe
that II the war in Korea goes strongly
against the Communists, including the
Chinese Reds, that Russia will not
strike; that Russia will remain quiescent
when her plans for the domination of
all Asia are going overheard? That is
question which the strategists in
Washington have not answered and
probably cannot answer, except by the
same kind Of surmise they have uttered
IN connection with the Macarthur pro-
gram.
Talk Of terms with the Chinese Reds
has shifted from possible appeasement.
The administration insists that there
will be no appeasement-and by ap-
peasement is meant, it appears, a seat
for Communist China In the United
Nations, and the REIMBURSEMENT Of
Formosa to the Chinese Reds. If this Is
the way it works out. credit will be due
in part. at least to Gen. Macarthur.
who said, referring to those who resort
to appeaSement:
They are blind to history's clear
lesson. For history teaches. with un-
mistakable emphasis, that appeasement
but begets new and bloodier wars"