Evening star., 1952-12-29
Macarthur Denounces
Truman Statement on
Korea as Misleading
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Assoeioted Pres.
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-Gen
Douglas MacArthur's description
of a statement by President Tru-
man as inaccurate and miSlead-
ing" today stimulated anew the
controversy around the generals
custer as Far East commander.
Gen. Macarthur. in a statement
issued here last night. took issue
with Q reported comment by Pres
ident Truman that he relieved
Gen. Macarthur because the gen.
eral wanted to involve us in all
out war in the Far East"
The United Press quoted the
President as making the state
ment Saturday in an interview he
gave to it's White House corre-
spondent. It was one of a series
of year-end interviews granted by
the President to White House
neWSmen.
(Mr. Truman has made similar
public statements concerning Gen.
Macarthur previously
In Washington last night, Roger
Tubby. White House press secre-
tary, said Mr. Truman would have
no comment on the Macarthur
statement. Mr.. Tubby said the
President made his statement
ond ie SfinEi1oo Lx, II
Sought Wars End, He Says.
Courtney Whitney, retired ma
jor general and top aide of Mac
Arthur. gave out the latter's
statement. It said in full:
President Humans statement
yesterday Saturday, as reported
in the press, that I wanted to in
volve US in an all-out war in the
Far East is inaccurate and mis-
leading.
MY purpose and desire was not
to extend the war but only to end
1t. At that time. this could have
been accomplished with only a
fraction of the approximately
10000 American battle casualties
which have since resulted. Actu-
ally. the longer it lasts the greater
the chance of its spreading. How
any one could use such a bloody
drama as a means of self -glorifi-
cation is quite beyond my COM
prehension"
1t was not made clear whether
the "self-glorif1cation" remark
was aimed at Mr.. Truman or
was intended by Gen. Macarthur
to point up his own position in
the controversy.
OuSted in April, 1851.
An attempt to reach Gen. Mac
Arthur or Gen. Whitney for clari-
flcation was unsuccessful. How
ever. at the time he gave out the
statement, Gen. Whitney told
newsmen he thought it speaks
for itself"
Gen. Macarthur. now chairman
of the board of Remington Rand
Inc. was ousted by President Tru-
man on April IL, 1851. Mr.. Tru-
man then said in a formal state
ment that he concluded Gen.
Macarthur "is unable to give his
wholehearted support" to United
States and United Nations policies
in Korea. <
The custer relieving Gen. Mac
Arthur as both American and
, United Nations commander in the
Far East was Mr. Humans
answer to a series of statements
by Gen. Macarthur urging shift
in Korean war policy.
Among the proposals advocated
by Gen. Macarthur were the
bombing of Red bases above the
Yalu River border of North Korea,
blockading the Red China coast
and the utilizing of Nationalist
Chinese forces stationed on For
mosa.
Aired Before Senate.
Shortly after his return to the
United States, Gen. Macarthur
and administration leaders went
before Senate probers in a series
of congressional hearings.
Gen. Macarthur, in a number of
speeches in various cities, later
attacked the Truman administra-
ton on domestic policy as we'll as
foreign policy. Mr.. Truman also
bristled frequently on the subject
Of Gen. Macarthur.
The feud erupted again earlier
this month when Gen. Macarthur
said in a New York speech, almost
at the same time as President
elect Eisenhower was leaving Ko-
rea. that he was confident there
is clear and definite solution to
the Korean conflict"
Gen. Eisenhower and Gen. Mac
Arthur. in an exchange of mes
sages between New York and the
cruiser Helena bringing the Pres
ident-elect home. arranged a
meeting which later was held in
New York. After they met, it was
announced they discussed the
Korean war and world peace in
general.
On December IL, few days be-
fore the meeting, President Tru-
man told a news conference he
doubted Gen. Macarthur had any
new solution to the war.
kuInnev fIafnd m Man