Evening star., 1952-12-13
The Political Mill
Trumon Went to Wake
With Different Views
He Sow No Substitute
For On-the-Spot Visit
By Gould Lincoln

When is a trip to Korea "dema-
goguery?" According to President Tru-
man it is demagoguery when made by
President-elect, in conformity with
q promise to the American people. Had
Gen. Eisenhower waited until after he
entered the White House to journey to
battle-torn Korea. would Mr.. Truman
have had kinder word for the trip?
Presumably so. Mr.. Truman himself
made trip-not to Korea-but to
Wake Island to confer with Gen. Doug
las Macarthur on the Korean police
action" at a time when Gen. Macarthur
was hailed everywhere for his military
genius and the Inchon landing. This was
in October. 1850. There was an election
that year. too. No one called Mr.. Tru-
mans trip "demagoguery." although
many shrewdly suspected politics in the
move.
At the time of his trip to Wake Island
to meet Gen. Macarthur, the President
Said-in Statement-"There is no sub
stitute for personal conversation with
the commander in the field, who knows
the problems from first-hand expert
ence. He has information at his finger
tips which can be of help to us in de-
Gliding upon the right policies in these
critical times"
A Back-Handed Sian.
The President-elect is q military man.
He had supreme command in the
European area when World War II
was brought to successful conclusion
there. Mr.. Truman has q real job on his
hands II he tries to convince the Ameri-
can people that there is no value in
Gen. Eisenhower's trip to Korea, to see
the actual battlefield in this long drawn
out war with the Communists, and to
talk to Gen. Van Fleet. in command of
the forces there. Gen. Eisenhower is to
enter the White House as Chief Execu-
tive and Commander in Chief of the
armed forces in five weeks time. Does
any one doubt he will be better informed
on the most vital issue of the conflict
IN Korea because of his visit there?
The Democrats - and particularly
President Truman-were quick to take
umbrage when Gen. Eisenhower, cam
paigning for election, said last October
ne would 60 to Korea to see what could
be done about the war-if he were
elected President. They insisted then
that Gen. Eisenhower's pledge was
demagogic. When Gen. Eisenhower's
election took place, President Truman
sent a message that the Presidents own
plane would be placed at his disposal
to go to Korea-provided Gen. Eisen-
hover still intended to 60 there. It
was back-handed slap. It suggested
that Gen. Eisenhower had made his
promise to visit the battle area merely
10 obtain votes, and would not 60
through with 1t. Gen. Eisenhower
promptly declined the offer-and said
ne would use Army equipment.
Reason for Democratic Defeat.
The failure Of the Truman adminis-
tration to deal successfully with the
situation in the Far East-first. with
China which fell into Communist hands.
and second. with the Korean conflict
was one Of the prime reasons for the
defeat OF the Democratic presidential
candidate, Gov. Adlai Stevenson of Illi-
no1s, who had to run on the Truman
record. Mr.. Truman and the State
Department have never admitted they
were wrong in the Far East. in any
slightest detail. They are not admitting
1t today. Since they have not been able
to do anything about ending the Korean
fighting or getting peace. they are not
admitting that any one else can do
the job President Truman's outburst.
therefore, against Gen. Eisenhower's
trip to Korea and Gen. MacArthur's
suggestion that plan for ending the
war in Korea can be made Is in keeping
with past attitudes.
President Truman, in dealing with the
war problem, has virtually told the
American people they can look for Moth
ng-either from the man who led the
allied forces to victory in Europe or
the man who led the allied forces to
victory in the Far East. At the same
time. he demands that they inform him
without delay what plans, If any. they
have to bring the war to a successful
end. 1t doesn't add UP.