Evening star., 1951-05-04
Witness Gives Views
On Conduct Of War al
Hearing on Custer
CONTINUED From First Page. }

8 miles this side of the Yalu on
q defensible ridge?
Gen. Macarthur - The Joint
Chiefs of Staff believed that il
would be probably advisable, based
upon the considerations at that
time, to occupy the north of Ko-
rea with South Korean forces
They were adverse to having other
nationals there. but the tactical
conditions were such that South
Koreans were not able to do so.
Senator McMahon-Yesterday
general, I pursued a line of ques-
tioning concerning the global i'm
plications of your proposals, and
you informed me that being a
theater commander you had not
taken those into consideration.
Now
Not What He Said.
Gen. MacArthur-One minute,
Senator. That is not exactly what
! said, if you will let me interrupt
you. I said-I intended to convey
the idea that the theater COM
mander was only concerned in
global studies insofar as his own
theater was concerned to co-ordi-
nate the demands of his own
theater with the global problem:
general knowledge of the global
problem. of course. is necessary
by all theater commanders.
Senator Northumberland. on
Page 207 of the testimony stated
In answer to my question as to
whether or not we were ready to
withstand the Russian attack in
Western Europe today:
Gen. MacArthur@Sen I
have asked you several times not
to involve me in anything except
my own area. My concepts on
global defense are not what I am
here to testify on. don't pretend
to be the authority now on those
things. When I was the Chief of
Staff 20 years ago, that was my
problem and I would have an
swered it. The Chiefs of Staff or
others here are the ones to answer
that query, not me-"
Now general, the reason I went
into that question was for two
reasons. First, this committee of
course has very grave duty of
weighing all factors in the de-
fense of this country. We are
not confined to a theater of op-I
erations. We are called upon to-
implement an overall strategy.
Cites Congress Speech.
I asked you about it, general,
because in your speech to the
Congress you stated as follows:
THE issues are global and so
1nterlocked that to consider the
problems of one sector oblivious
to those of another is to court
disaster for the whole"
Gen. MacArthur-Correct.
Senator McMahon-Now gen.
eral, you are aware I am sure of
the mechanics that this Govern
ment has set up for carrying out
this business Of weighing these
interlocking factors, in other
words, our global defense as al
whole -. You are aware that
in 1949 the Congress passed what
is known as the National Security
Act. In this act-and I will not
take the time of the committee to
read it, but I think perhaps it |
should be inserted, Mr.. Chairman,
at least the pertinent portions of
the act should be inserted at this
point in the record
Chairman-Is that the act of
l947?
Senator McMahon-This is the
act, it is entitled Coordination
for National Security" 1 haven't
got the date of the act, Mr.. Chair
man, but it is the act setting up
the National Security Agency
which provides that the member
ship of the council, the National
Security Council, should be the
President, the Vice President. the
Secretary of State. the Secretary
OF Defense and the Chairman of
the NSRB.
That is the body that has been
set up by this Congress to CO.
ordinate our total global strategy.
High Opinion of Joint Chiefs.
General, take it from what you
said yesterday that you have a
high opinion of the members, the
present mambers, of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff.
Gen. MacArthur-I have.
Senator Mcmahon And the
present Secretary of Defense.
Gen. MacArthur-I have.
Senator McMaho1-You recog-
nized them as patriotic gentlemen
of capability in their fields.
Gen. Macarthur - Unquestion-
ably.
Senator McMahon-Now gen.
eral, assuming for the sake of
discussion that subsequent testi-
mony brings out real differences
between you and the Joint Chiefs
on how far our Eastern strategy
can best promote our global
strategy, and assuming this diff
ference of viewpoint, would you
then be prepared to admit that
the Joint Chiefs judgment is bet
ter than yours and that the Amer
ican people would be we'll advised |
to follow the judgment of the
Joint Chiefs?
Gen. MacArthur-The authori-
ties and the responsibilities of the
Joint Chiefs are laid down and
prescribed by law. Their position
in the niche of American govern
mental procedure is entirely in ac-
cordance with the statutes.
Whether I should agree with itI
or should not agree with it is not
pertinent to the actions of the
Government of the United States
AS theater commander had
my own responsibilities and made
my own recommendations and