Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-24
a Soldier Goes Astrny'


der Goes Astray" in The Star
of January 10 seems to have
violated the standard military
axiom: Take into considera-
ton all Of the facts bearing
on the problem"
AS a professional soldier, I
believe that Gen. Ridgway Is
trying to save the Army and
the men of the armed forces
from a situation that has
grown to the point where it is
possible for professionals to
question victory in any COM
ing war.
We have embarked on an
entirely new concept of war.
We started this in Wilson'S adj
ministration when he headed
us straight into a European
war against all of the tradi-
tons Of the United States. We
were not accepted by Britain
and France as an ally, but
were termed officially. an as
sociate. Gen. Pershing insisted
on the formation Of an Amer
lean Army. and that Army
won the war that Britain and
France were losing when we
entered it
Then. for the first time in
history. VIC, as victors. paid
for the wa. We paid Britain,
France and Italy for permitting
us to save them. Then we paid
the German debts OF the war.
Under Harding. we destroyed
the greatest Navy the world
had seen. because Britain
didn't want to be second. We
actually stopped building. and
actually sank ships. the while
Britain and Japan were aban-
doning future plans for ships,
but keeping what they had.
Under Franklin D. Roose-
welt we were pushed into a
war that was almost lost. We
gave away arms. munitions
and equipment to all coun-
tries, to the point where our
own Army. especially in artil-
lery, suffered. We spared
nothing that Roosevelt and
Harry Hopkins could think OF
to show our foolish generosity.
But we won the war. How
ever, we should not lose sight
Of the fact that we had a hard
time: that Macarthur twho
will go down in history rank
ing with the greatest generals
Of all times, led a compare
lively small force up to the
front door of Japan. His
force was starved for neces-
sary arms and equipment. and
for supplies. Nevertheless, it
won victory after victory.
1t was at this time that the
professional soldiers and SAIL
ors were truly worried. 1t was
understood that all military
and naval plans had to be sub
mitted to underlings of the
State Department for approval
this in spite of the fact
that history is constant in
showing that when politicians
and statesmen" control the
armies in the field, defeat fol-
lows automatically. 1t was a
curious condition that led us
to conquer islands and then
hand them back to alleged
owners whose sole claim to
them was by right of con-
quest" But we did.
In Korea, we again had the
State Department controlling.
handicapping and hindering
the Army and Navy. Mac
Arthur, Van Fleet. Clark. Al
mond, Ridgway and Taylor.
all protested against the con-
troll vested in State Depart
ment underlings of no military
and little other experience.
The losses due to Humans
permitting this condition to
continue have been estimated
as high as half Of our total
casualties.
Now we have embarked on
a global police and supply
force. Nowhere is outside the
eager interest of our States
men" for control. We spend
our money 1--WE pay 81 billion
interest a year on our debit;
we give away arms and NUM-
tons. until professionals fear
our Army will be impotent.
We face defeat in any war we
engage in, If our great Air
Force loses control of the air.
These are the things it
seems to me Gen. Ridgway is
thinking about and trying to
tell the people about.
Charles Coulter.
4
Your rather pompous edi-
torial, January 10, "A Soldier
Goes Astray," was not up to
your usual standard Of fairness
and objectivity.
In criticizing Gen Ridgway