Evening star., 1952-12-14
Well Done

AS General Eisenhower winds up his Korean
trip, any fair appraisal Of the journey will
conclude that the visit itself was worthwhile
and that the President-elect, as an individual,
has come off with flying colors.
It is gratifying that General Eisenhower
refused to descend to the ud-slinging level
after President Trumans unbecoming denunca-
ton of the trip as piece Of demagoguery. The
temptation to reply in kind must have been
strong. But General Eisenhower hit the right
note when, through spokesman, he said: "The
general believes that the people of the United
States want dignity restored to the presidency
and that they are tired of petty pickering and
name-calling." This Is the only way to deal
with the type of criticism to which Mr.. Truman
resorted. It cannot be met on an eye-for -an-eye
and tooth-f -for-a-tooth basis. General Eisen-
hover may be sure that he will be the target
of more attacks of this kind after he takes office,
and it is to be hoped that he will meet them
with the same dignity and self-restraint he has
displayed in this instance
What the trip will produce in the way of
Fastening the end of the Korean war, or whether
it will produce anything in this connection,
remains to be seen.
It seems evident, however, that General
Esenhower's approach is sensible and eau
tious one. In marked contrast to Mr. Trumans
insulting rebuffs, he has expressed his desire to
consult with General Macarthur. In small
way, this alone is significant. General Mac
Arthur may or may not have q new plan for
bringing the war to an end without excessive
casualties or any increased risk of provoking
universal conflict. Actually, he has gone no
further than to say that he Is confident there
is clear and definite solution to the Korean
conflict. But whether General Macarthur has
or has not plan, he ought to be consulted,
tat ho ho1d In
friendly rather than a hostile atmosphere.
Whatever the thinking of the deposed Far East
ern commander, it cannot be satisfactorily ex-
plored by congressional committee, as has been
foolishly proposed in some quarters, nor can
1t be satisfactorily explored against the back
ground of insult and recrimination which Mr..
Truman has prepared.
It should be done as General Eisenhower
proposes to do it-by sitting down privately with
the man who certainly is one of our better
informed authorities on Asia and listening to
what he has to say.
There has been no suggestion from General
Eisenhower that he believes any easy peace
bringing formula has been hit upon by General
Macarthur. In fact, rather the contrary is the
case. For while the tone of General Mac
Arthur's statement was hopeful and optimistic,
the President-elect has been much more re-
strained. General Eisenhower is quoted, by an
authoritative source" as saying that he sees
no easy solution to Korea and that he does not
think an easy way out will be found.
Nevertheless, he wants to confer with Gen.
eral Macarthur And that is as it should be.
For in this difficult business the rational course
for a President or for man who is about to
become President is to consult, and not to insult
those whose training and experience qualify
them for consultation. It is to be expected,
and certainly to be hoped, that General Eisen-
hover will take Office with something more than
an open mind so far as the Korean problem is
concerned. But if that should prove to be the
only result in this respect, of a change Of
administrations, there will be some gain.