Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-23
BY ALDEN HATCH

Clare Boothe Luce came
home from China early in
June, 1941, to one of the hap
piest summers she ever spent.
First. she hurried to Foxcroft
School in Middleburg, Va. to
see Ann graduated cum laude.
When they got back to 1.-THE
House." Ann found that a
brand-new convertible was her
graduation present. She
promptly named it "Aloysius."
Ruth Burns. who had come to
be Clare's secretary in Green
wich taught Ann to drive it.
1t was assumed that Ann
was going to college at either
Smith or Bryn Mawr but she
finally decided on Leland
Stanford. Then came the
question whether Ann should
be allowed to take Aloysius.
Ruth Burns said, II think
Ann should take her car. She
is fine driver and very care
full. I'd rather she drove her
helf than ride around. as she's
sure to do, with wild, young
Californians."
Clare pondered that and
came to a decision. you win,
Ruth" she said Ann can
take her car. But if anything
happens. it's on your soul, not
mine"
Clare left for the Philippines
on August 10, to report the
situation there for her hus-
bands magazines. She went
to Hawaii and from there
flew along the desolate, STEP
ping-stone ISL lands whose
names nobody could remember
until a few weeks later when
they tolled like bells in the
news: Midway, Wake, Guam.
Her strategic sense made
her write of Guam as being
like a luscious plum lying in
a hornets nest of Japanese
held islands" There were only
about 400 American soldiers on
Guam. but everyone was sure
the Japanese would 60 some
other way.
When she arrived in Manila
she was confronted with the
same frenetic gaiety of other
capitals on the eve of doom.
Superb Timing
She interviewed Gen. Mac
Arthur, whose intense, dreamy
eyes were firmly fixed on Des-
tiny. Then she flew home to
tell the American people in
articles and on the radio that
the Philippines were the gate
way to China Seas, and that
the gate looked pretty rickety.
She also wrote an enthusi-
astic profile of Gen. MacAr-
thur which with superb tim
ing-for which Harry Luce
gets the credit-appeared in
the issue of Life dated De-
cember 8, 1941.
On December Z. there was a
luncheon party at 1.-THE House"
in Greenwich. House guests
included Vincent Sheean, Law
renee Steinhardt and DR.. Lin
Yutang. James Whitaker was
there and Maggie Case.
Twenty-Five people in all sat
down to lunch at 2:35 pm.
1t was an ironclad rule of
the Luce household that meals
must never be disturbed by
telephone calls. Ruth Burns
had just settled herself with a
tray in her room. when the
telephone rang. 1t was C. D.
Jackson calling from Time,
Inc: "I've- got to talk to
Harry. The Japanese have
bombed Pearl Harbor She
scrubbed on a piece of paper.
&C. D. Jackson has called to
say Pearl Harbor has been
bombed by Japs," and gave it
to the butler. The butler put
it on a silver tray and after
the dessert had been served
he handed it to Clare.
Clare glanced at the note,
still talking to her lunch part
ner. DR.. Lin-Yutang. Then, as
her eyes focused, she raised
her voice. Harry" she called
to the other end of the table,
Its come! The Japs have
bombed Pearl Harbor!"
Mr.. Luce jumped up to go
to the telephone. All the other
guests except DR.. Lin Yutang
headed for the radio. The
Chinese said. Il will finish my
dessert if you don't mind. You
see. this is all so very ex-
pected."
When the United States
entered the war, Clare was
working on a biography of