Evening star., 1951-05-04


nduct of the Korean war.
-AP Photo.
Joint Chiefs of Staff statement
there that you read a little while
ago?
Gen. MacArthur-The one with
the four conditions? That was
January 18th, sir.
Senator Connally-Of what year,
Gen. MacArthur-1951.
Senator Connally-Is that the
one that you had reference to in
your address to the Congress in
which you said the Joint Chiefs
had approved your plans and so oni
Gen. MacArthur-Yes, sir, ane
many other things in which We
were in entire agreement.
Senator Bridges-General, yor
questioned the right of the Presi.
dent of the United States to dis
miss you? Did you or do you now
Gen. MacArthur-You mean tc
recall me?
Senator BridgeS-Yes.
Gen. MacArthur-Not in the
slightest. The authority of tht
President to assign officers or tt
re-assign them is complete and alb.
solute. He does not have to give
any reasons therefor or anything
else. That is inherent in our sys.
tenn.
Told of Recall by Wife.
Senator Bridges-How did you
first receive word of your recall?
Gen. MacArthur-I received il
from my wife. One of my aides hac
heard the broadcast and instantly
told her, and she informed me.
Senator Bridges-You received
it via the radio before you had any
official notice?
Gen. MacArthur-Yes, sir.
Senator Bridges-How long aftel
your aide had told Mrs. Macarthur
that he had heard it on the radio
did you receive your official com.
munication?
Gen. MacArthur-Oh, should
say within 80 minutes. perhaps, OF
and hour. I couldn't tell you.
Senator Bridges-Were you re-
called with the action to take ef-
feet summarily, Immediately?
Gen. MacArthur-The order re-
lieved me of the command upor
receipt.
Senator Bridges-Is that a Gus
tomary procedure.
Gen. MacArthur-I have never
known it in the American Army
and know of no precedence any
place. Being Summarily relieved il
that way made it impossible tt
carry out directives that I wa.
working on at that moment.
had to turn them over to my sue.
cessor, an admirable officer il
every respect, Gen. Ridgway, who
was $50 miles away on the Korean
front.
I don't think there is any ques.
ton that the interest of the Unitec
States was jeopardized in such &
summary mode of turning ovel
great responsibilities which involve
the security of the country. :.
Asked About Wake Farley.
Senator Bridges-General, 70,
were present on Wake Island, were
you not, at a conference with thu
President and certain other higt
officials Of this country?
Gen. MacArthur-Yes, sir.
Senator Bridges-Was there +;
Stenographic report made of tha
conference?
Gen. MacArthur-There was n,
official stenographic report.
asked Mr.. Ross, who was in charg,
of public relations, whether ther.
should be stenographic notes taken
because I wished to take them nv
self, but he told me that no note
would be taken, and there was n,
stenographer present.
I have heard within the last a
hours that apparently a stenog
rapher in an adjacent room tool
down some notes, but I have n,
knowledge of it.
Senator Bridges-And you wer
not aware that a Stenographer wa
secreted in another room? =.
Gen. .MacArthur-No, sir. On tn,
contrary, after the conference, MI
Jessup, Mr.. Murphy, Mr.. Ross
perhaps others, worked up a com.
munique which was to be issuet
covering the report as to what tool
place. That communique was sub
mitted to the President ant
approved, and submitted to me, ant
I initiated it.
Denies InsubOrdinatiOn.
Senator Bridges-Have you ever
to your knowledge, refused to carr,
out military order given you?
Gen. MacArthur-Senator, I hav,
been a soldier So years. I have il
that time, to the best of my ability
carried out every order that wa!
ever given me. No more subordinat.
soldier has ever worn the American
uniform. :.
Many of the orders that I hav'
received, I have disagreed will
them, both their wisdom and theil
judgment: but that did not affec
in the slightest degree my nipple.
menting them to the very best anc
maximum of my ability.
Senator Russell :. I would lik,
to ask the General if he ever re,
ceived from Gen. Bradley fiv,
copies of these, what purported t,
be, notes of the Wake Island meet.
ing.
Gen. MacArthur-I received from
Gen. Bradley, I don't know whethe,
there were five copies, think som,
time in December, what were p,lr
ported to be the recollection of tn,