Evening star., 1953-01-10
The Political Mill
9. O. P. Cool to Views
Of Trumun on AWOLs
Desertions Are Fewer
Than During World War !
The Political Mill
By Gould Lincoln

President Truman's assertion that the
$4,000 to $1,000 "deSertionS" in the
military forces since the Korean war
got under way have been caused by
politically inspired attacks on the Ko.
rean war policy was coldly received by
Republicans on Capitol Hill. They made
no attempt to minimize the seriousness
Of deSertion or Of being AWOL in the
armed forces. But they contended that
the retiring President was doing a bit
OF politicking himself, in an interview
with Doris Fleeson. They contended,
further, that the conduct of the war
without any definite all-out attempt
to win, but merely to maintain kind Of
holding operation-had brought wide
spread criticism and undoubtedly had
Its effect on personnel and morale. This
was in answer to the Presidents state
ment to Miss FleeSon that the military
desertions are by "the kids who are
being Systematically taught to believe
that the peace of the world is not
worth fighting for'
SaltOnstall Answers.
Senator Saltonstall. Republican, of
Massachusetts, who will head the
Armed Services Committee of the Sem
ate, said he had already asked the sub.
committee on preparedness to look into
the question OF deSertion in the armed
services. He commented that the in
formation from the Pentagon was that
there are fewer desertions today than
IN World War II. per one thousand men
IN the services. 'The matter deserves
careful study" he said "The main
tenance of morale is of great impor-
lance. But am sorry to see the Presi.
dent make such partisan and political
statement so soon after making his
eloquent state-of- Union message to
Congress, in which he displayed no
partisanShip."
Representative Dewey Short, Repub-
ican, Of Missouri, chairman of the
House Armed Services Committee.
commented that "the Korean war is
the most unpopular war we have ever
been engaged in" He added that the
people have not been made to UNDER
stand the significance and importance
OF it. He continued that if the young
men in the services are deserting 1t is
because they have not been properly
indoctrinated." That, he said, is a fault
OF the administration.
Supported Truman.
II was one of the Republicans who
stood up for the President when he
sent our armed forces into Korea" Mr..
Short said. although I believe he
should have had the consent of Con-
greSS. 1t looks to me as though the
President was engaging in politics
himself. in this matter of desertions.
My criticism has been that it was the
weak and vacillating policy of the
administration in the Far East that was
the cause of the Korean war"
Considerable confusion exists be-
cause of the combination of figures on
"desertionS" and absence without
leave" cases. At the Pentagon it was
said that major concern was not the
assertion situation but the short-term,
aosent-Wlthout-leave soldiers. These
nave risen to 10000 month recently.
OF whom 1900 monthly either return
or are apprehended within short
periods. On the desertion side, of the
$4,000 soldiers who have been absent
Tor 80 days or more, which places them
In the deserter class, IL 900 still remain
at large.
Macarthur Is Target.
For the last complete fiscal year of
World War II the desertion rate in the
Army was about 41a per month for
each 1000 men. The comparable
figure for the Korean conflict was less
than for each 1000 men, The Presi-
dent. in his interview, slapped hard
at Gen. Douglas Macarthur, who he
said had set bad example to the
armed services. He called him Sin
subordinate" Gen. Macarthur took
the position that the armed forces
should be used to force a victory-not
to continue stalemate in Korea.
Irrespective, however, of any political
significance in the Presidents COM
ments on desertions, it is of grave i'm
portance that the morale of the armed
forces be kept at a high level The
inquiries which the Republicans in
Congress are now considering will have
that in mind. they say. They are
looking to Gen. Eisenhower, President
elect, to do something about this
matter Of morale when he takes office.