Mystery Shrouds MacArthur and Marshall Degrees

Still shrouded in mystery, the presentation of honorary degrees to General George C. Marshall and General Douglas MacArthur will be made in "the not too distant future," as President Conant announced at the Commencement ceremony last Thursday.

In his precedent-shattering announcement, President Conant revealed that General Marshall, former Chief of Staff and President Truman's special ambassador to China, and General MacArthur, Supreme Commander of the forces in Japan, have "indicated their readiness to receive the awards at ceremonies at Cambridge."

Until now it has been a tradition never to disclose the recipient of an honorary degree before the presentation takes place. The exact date at which the degrees will be awarded has not as yet been announced.

The awards will presumably be the degree of Doctor of Law, the same degree presented to four of the nation's top military planners at last week's ceremonies at which twelve honorary awards were made.

The Doctor of Laws degree was presented at that time to Alexander A. Vandegrift, Commandant of the U. S. Marine Corps, Chester W. Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, U. S. Navy, Henry A. Arnold, retiring Chief of the U. S. Army Air Forces, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chief of Staff, U. S. Army.

Whether or not these degrees, awarded to General Marshall and General MacArthur by a vote of the Corporation and the Board of Overseers, will be presented at the same time or separately remains a part of the mystery surrounding the awards.