Evening star., 1955-01-23
Macarthur, IS, Still Sure He Was Right


ing its industrial center ct Mukden
and severing its vital supply routes
to Russia.
Gen. Macarthur told the NAM
his plan would bring no increased
risk Of global war. He told Presi-
dent Eisenhower, the informant2
said, that the American people
would accept the proposal. II the
President acted quickly, using his
post-election prestige.
The President repeatedly rejected
the plan In favor Of Mr.. Dulles, pro-
poSal to use the administration
first year in an effort to mend
American fences in Asia through
more orthodox diplomacy.
The results Of this meeting. In
Gen. MacArthur's suite at the WAL
dorf- Astoria Hotel. were never pub
licized. And the generals associates
say that his advice has not since
been sought by the administration.
Asia Post Sought
Gen. Macarthur made two subse-
uuent trips to the White House. but
his intimates said both were merely
window dressing" These intimates
feel that he should have been ap-
pointed an Asian high commissioner.
In the intervening years, Gen.
Macarthur seldom has aired his
views, in contrasts to the sharp COM
ments he occasionally made earlier.
One associate says the general
decided to stay out Of public politics
when he became board chairman
of the Remington-Rand Corp, q
position he still holds.
Another says the general doesn't
want to attack the administration
openly, because Democratic re-
gime might be worse"
Gen. Macarthur has never hid
den his resentment over his dis
missal, in 1851. by former President
Truman for addressing an allegedly
out-of turn warning to the Korean
Communist commander to surren-
der or face the threat Of heightened
war. An ardent Republican, Gen.
Macarthur has been only luke
warm publicly in support Of Presi-
dent Eisenhower. The President
served under him twice and later
became associated closely with Gen.
George C. Marshall, with whom
Gen. Macarthur feuded publicly
for years.
Gen, Macarthur remains un-
changed in insisting upon meeting
each new Communist thrust with
force, or the threat of it, and in
sisting that the East-West battle
will be won or lost in Asia. AS
early as 1947 and l948 he was
privately advocating the use OF
volunteer American pilots to help
the Chinese Nationalists save the
mainland.
Sensitive to Notionolism
But Gen. Macarthur also main
tains that while force Is funda-
mental, it must be bulwarked by
the confidence of nations seeking
to, maintain independence. Ma
tionalism is the great force in Asia
today, he says, and the Communists
have been quick to seize on 1t Tor
their own imperialism.
Gen. Macarthur himself remains
virtually unchanged in retirement.
He continues to live ct the Waldorf.
an aide says, because ''he likes to be
in the middle of things" The general
conmutes two or three times a week
by automobile from Manhattan to
Stamford, Conn, for his duties at
Remington Rand.
His Waldorf apartment Is some
thing of a command post, protected
by the dignified scrutiny Of the hotel
and a non-commissioned aide.
The generals senior military aide,
Col. Sid Huff. regularly visits this
strange headquarters. bringing perA
sonal mail from a downtown ofiice
still maintained by the Army for
Gen. Macarthur. AS a five-star gen.
eral he is entitled to staff OF
assistants, even though not on active
duty.
A second man who has submerged
his life into that of Macarthur
Mai. Gen. Courtney Whitney, retired,
waits in his own Waldorf apartment
for frequent summonses to confer
with the general on all manner Of
problems from personal to interna-
tional affairs. Gen. Whitney, pre-
war Manila lawyer, played the same
role throughout the occupation Of
Japan, as head of Gen. MacArthur's
Government section, with an office
down the hall from the "old man."
That is all that is left Of COM
mand that once was the most
powerful Of any military force ever
seen in Asia's long history Of war;
fare.
associated Press.)