Evening star., 1951-12-17
Macarthur Sees Need
OF Extending Civilian
Control Of Army
By John A. Giles

Gen. Macarthur blasted Penta-
gon policies today with q warn
ing that civilian control over the
Army must be extended to safe
guard it from the military mind
o. well as from politicians.
Citing the recent build up Of
the Armed Forces and the adop-
ton of the principle Of universal
military training. the general de-
clared "the outlook is toward
maintaining for many years-even
in peace-an armed readiness for
war" adding:
"All this T. etches the pattern
of a military state which. his
torically under the control of pro-
fessional military thinking in con-
slant search for means toward
efficiency, has found in freedom
possibly it's greatest single i'm
pediment. To avoid this historic
pitfall, 1t is essential that civil
ian control over the citizen army
be extended and intensified. Par
ticularly is this true in the ad-
ministration of the program OF
universal military training. If the
youth of our land is to avoid be-
ing corrupted into legion OF sub
serviency to the so-called military
mind"
First Article Since Return.
The former Far East commander
who was fired by President Tru-
man made the statements IN an
American Legion magazine article
entitled "The Citizen Soldier" It
is the first article signed by the
former Army Chief of Staff and
West Point honor graduate since
his return to this country.
Although the citizen soldier, he
declared, has contributed all but
n fraction of the dead and manned
In Americas wars he has never
received either from our political
or military leadership full credit
for his role.
THE tendency has existed-as
It still exists-to regard him as
an auxiliary rather than the main
pillar supporting our national
military strength" he continued.
"Only in rare instances have his
views been sought or considered
in the shaping of high policy gov
erning the conduct of war or plans
to secure the peace"
Close Integration Needed.
The general said the need for
close integration Of the National
Guard and reserve forces with the
regular military services, while
recognized in the 1920 National
Defense Act, had been largely dis
regarded In practice.
Extension Of civilian control
calls for q reassessment Of the role
Of the citizen soldier now to be-
come the major element OF our
military establishment during
peace as well as during war" he
declared. 1T calls for a realistic
appreciation of the potential In
professional competence which
the citizen soldiers can bring toI
the fulfllment Of our military
policy and aims.
1T calls for the elimination Of
arbitrary restrictions upon the ad-
vance Of the citizen soldier In the
ranks Of military leadership. It'll
calls for o much broadened op-I
portunity for the professional
preparation Of the citizen soldier
to permit his tntegrstion into the
higher staff studies and planning
designed to avert war II possible. |
to prosecute 1t to early victory If
not"
Threat TO Essential Spirit.
Unless recognition ts given toI
the selection Of leadership &C
cording to merit and the qualified
citizen soldier has full opportunity
to influence the formulation of
military and related political pol
Icy, warned Gen. Macarthur, "wel
shall find that our citizen army
lacks the spirit essential to the
building Of inyincible force !
that the people lack faith in the
integrity OF their military arm"
The general also took o slapI
at the planners with the comment
that I'VE still enter wars tragically
unprepared.
We still lack o realistic ap-
praisal Of future potentialities and
saddle our people with wholly un-
called for burdens to cover past
errors by replacing anew the pow
or We have squandered and dissi-
pated in the afterglow Of victory,"|
he stated. There could be no
more serious indictment Of our
political and military leadership
than this failure to profit from
the clear lessons Of experience"