Evening star., 1952-11-01

NOTeu IS Explosive issue
In Final Campaign Days
Van Fleets Letter on Troops
BeIittIed by Administration
By Gould Lincoln
In the final days Of the presidential
campaign, Gen. Eisenhower fastened on
the most explosive issue of them all, the
Korean war. When he announced that
If elected he would 60 to Korea to see
for himself what could be done about
the war. he really threw q hot shot into
the Democratic camp. In the first place,
1t made sense to the American people.
Here was q military leader Of great
experience and sagacity. who promised
to 60 to the battle area himself
The Democratic riposte was declara-
tion that even II Gen. Eisenhower should
60 to Korea. he could not do anything
about the war that was not already
being done. unless he intended to step up
the conflict, which might lead to third
world war. That. however. is just an
opinion. The American people prob
ably would rather take chance on
having something done about bringing
this unpopular and costly war, in Ameri-
can lives, to an end.
Obviously. II Gen. Eisenhower goes to
Korea and confers directly with the
commander in the field. MIR. Eisenhower,
as commander in chief of the armed
forces and as chief executive in charge
OF foreign relations. will be in better
position to deal with the situation in
the Far East than If he sat at his desk
In Washington.
Can Scarcely Be Disputed.
President Truman can scarcely dis
pute this. Mr.. Truman felt it neces-
Sary to go to talk with Gen. Douglas
macarthur on Wake Island when Gen.
macarthur was commander in the Far
East. On his return from Wake Island
ana MS conference with Gen. Macarthur.
PRESIDENT Truman said in San Francisco:
Ihere is no substitute for personal
conversation with the commander in the
nelo, who knows the problems there
from nrst-hand experience. He has in
!ormatlon at his finger tips which can
ne OF help to all of us in deciding upon
tne right policies in these critical times"
Why throw off. therefore, on the plan
OF Gen. Eisenhower to 20 all the wav
10 Korea and the battle lines, if he.
eisenhower becomes President? If it was
q good idea for MIR. Truman to talk with
the commander in the field, why should
II not be good idea for Republican
President to do the same?
The issue Of the Korean war is the
most devastating for the Democrats to
meet in this campaign. The war exists
and men are being killed and billions of
collars spent. 1t has run on for more
than two years. The best that Gov. Ste
venson has been able to offer is a request
Tor the American people to be patient
and hold fast. in the belief that even-
tually satisfactory peace settlement
Will be had with the Communist forces.
The record shows that for many months
negotiations for an armistice were con-
quoted without result-months in which
the FED forces were able to strengthen
themselves greatly; fighting was held at
minimum for long time, in the hope
That something could be ACCOMPLISHED
oy negotiation. It hasn't happened, and
now the lighting is increasing in tempo.
Feeling Of Futility.
In every newspaper across the land.
lists OF American casualties are published.
showing the men who have been killed
or wounded or are missing in their home
localities. All Of this increases a feeling
that the administration has been futile
IN dealing with the Far East situation:
that with Gen. Eisenhower and a new
approach, some forward steps may be
taken TO bring the war to a successful
termination. Latest headlines in the
newspapers tell of 1878 United States
casualties in Korea in a week, bringing
the total to more than $4,000. The
eisenhower attack on "bungling in the
Far East gets more sympathetic atten-
tlon. 1t places the Democrats on the
defensive. 1t has disrupted, in some
measure, the plans of the Democratic
high command for the final week of
the campaign-which was to place all
emphasis on the prosperity issue, "You
never had 1t so good"
The Republicans say that it has be-
gun to sink into the peoples minds that
prosperity and high wages, due to A.
nancing war. are being paid for in
American blood and suffering. All of
which points up the Korean war issue.
One OF the proposals made by Gen.
Eisenhower is that South Korean troops
be trained and placed in the battle lines.
ana so relieve some of the Americans
IN the hghting. This suggestion was be-
lifted by the Truman-Stevenson camp.
And now letter written by Gen. James
A. Van Fleet. United Nations 9th Army
commander in Korea. saying he favored
Just such a plan, and had proposed it
but received no go-ahead signal from
Washington. has been thrown into the
campaign.
Gen. Van Fleet may be another Mac
Arthur in the eyes of the President.
@.as