Evening star., 1951-04-20
An Old Soldier Reports

-, Not many people who heard or read General
MacArthur's address to the Congress will be
willing to believe that he is a modern Caesar who
breaches war for wars sake. That is the picture
Of him that some Of his critics paint. But the
man who knows war "aS few other men now
living know it," and who is thoroughly revolted
by it, cannot be fitted to such picture.
-. This life holds no fresh laurels for the COM
ndander who has given So years to the military
service of his country. His own son is five short
years away from the army. General Macarthur
is entitled to and the people surely will accord
him the Justice" of receiving what he had to
say "aS solely expressing the considered view
point of fellow American"
The views which General Macarthur put be-
fore Congress are not new. At all COSTS he
would prevent Formosa from falling into hostile
hands. He would deprive our enemies in Korea
OF their privileged sanctuary north of the Yalu
River. He would intensity the economic blockade
against China. He would blockade the China
coast with our naval forces. He would permit
air reconnaissance of China's coastal area and of
sManchuria. And he would lift the restrictions
, on Chang Kai-sheks troops on Formosa, with
"logistical support (from us) to contribute to
their effective operations"
These are but the bare outlines of policy
Much remains to be filled in What did General
Macarthur mean when he said 1t was his under
standing that, fronsa military standpoint the
Joint Chiefs of STAFF shared his views? What
effective eperatonS7 does he have In mind for
Chang Kai-shek's 600 troops7 Upon what
does he base his belief that Red China has
already committed the maximum power it can
bring to bear in Korea, and that the Russians
will not necessarily mesh their actions with our
moves? If General MacArthurs recommended
tions should be adopted precisely what are the
Considerations which lead him to believe that
victory, and not bloody stalemate, could be
achieved in Korea?
i Answers to these and similar questions will
not be found in the address to Congress. Perhaps
they could not be developed in that forum But
II General MacArthur's argument is not to fade
away as he says an old soldier fades, the answers
must be forthcoming.
HI Presumably General Macarthur will testify
irl the near future before a committee of Con-
greSS. Then there will be time and opportunity
to go into these things, to examine his recon-
raendations at greater length and to explore
the facts and the reasoning with which he
supports them
( This must be done, for if it is not done then
reasoned judgment will be overwhelmed by
events in the determination of our fate. II one
can believe Civil Defense Administrator Caldwell
war with Russia barring miracle is in the
ofing, and the Russians have the means OF
converting our major cities into slaughterhouses.
The President spoke the other day of free debate
But there really has been no free debate which
tolerated dissent in the military field from
established policies The tendency has been to
fire dissenting generals, not to hear them. Gen
eral Macarthur, at the price Of losing his COM
rnands, has broken through that barrier He
has made an eloquent and moving preliminary
statement. What remains now is to develop his
views to the fullest, and to form our final judg-
nnent as to what our course of action should be
when all of the relevant facts and arguments
are on the record.