Evening star., 1952-12-11


the situation in Korea when Mr..
Truman went to Wake Island in
the fall of 1850 to see the then
Far Eastern commander.
The President also insisted. at
a news conference this morning,
that he does not believe Gen.
Macarthur has anything new to
offer in the way of Korean
solution despite the generals
statement to the National As
sociation of Manufacturers in
New York Friday that there is
workable plan to end the war.
Mr.. Truman rejected a pro-
posal by a Republican Senator
that he hold a White House con-
ference with Gen. Eisenhower and
Gen. Macarthur.
The President, in a lengthy
news conference colloquy. also
reverted back to the Macarthur
testimony at the famous Senate
hearing here early last year after
his custer.
New Attack on Macarthur.
He criticized the five-star gen.
eral for failing to report to the
White House before going to
Capitol Hill. He declared that is
what any decent man would have
done. AS he often did during the
presidential campaign, Mr.. Tru-
man reiterated that if Gen. Eisen-
hover has any Korean solution
he should come up with it at once.
The Presidents biting news
conference comment followed his
statements yesterday challenging
Gen. Macarthur to make any
settlement plan he has available
at once"
Shortly after the Presidents
statement, it was disclosed that
Gen. Eisenhower, now on his way
back from Korea. expects to meet
Gen. Macarthur in New York for
a discussion of the Korean prob
lem
The news conference discussion
was touched off when a reporter
asked the President what he
thought of a suggestion by Sem
ator Watkins, Republican, of
Utah, that Mr.. Truman call Gen.
Macarthur and Gen. Eisenhower
to the White House for review
of the Korean issue.
Doubts Result of Meeting.
Bluntly, Mr.. Truman said that
he didn't see where any good pur-
pose could be served by such a
meeting. Gen. Macarthur is well
come to see him whenever he
wishes. he continued.
Then the President snapped
that he made a 14.000-mile trip
to see Gen. MacArthur-that was
the trip to Wake Island-and that
about all he got was a lot OF mis-
information.
Under questioning as to what
constituted the "miSinformation,"
the President said the general told
him the Chinese Communists
would not come into Korea and
that one division of the Regular
Army could be relieved in Korea
for dispatch to Germany to re-
lieve an occupation division there.
Gen. Macarthur said the war in
Korea was practically over, Mr..
Truman added.
For moment, then, the ques-
tioning turned to Gen. Eisen-
hower's trip and the President
was asked what he thought of
Gen. Eisenhower's statement that
there is mo panacea" for the
Korean problem.
Mr.. Truman retorted that the
President-elect was only quoting
him.
Cites Generals Army Status.
The President had reference to
his frequent statements during
the campaign that the solution
lay in the Kremlin and not on
the battlefield.
When a reporter asked Mr..
Truman if he did not think it
was up to Gen. Macarthur to
make known to the White House
any settlement plan that he may
have in mind, the President en-
phasized that it certainly is.
Continuing, he said that Gen.
Macarthur is still on active duty.
He had reference to the fact
that Gen. Macarthur, retaining
(See MACARTHUR. Page ABB