MacArthur and the U.N.

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

It seems that in this current to-do over the Truman-MacArthur controversy the defenders of both sides are overlooking the basis principles involved. This is partially due to the manner in which the press has emphasized the personalities angle of the dispute. The problem is really not whether Truman has the right to remove such a popular and brilliant commander in the time of crisis, or whether MacArthur in turn is justified in turning the whole thing into a political scandal. On these superficial issuses I, speaking for the Harvard World Federalists, take no stand. However, on the deeper more basic issues at hand I feel I can take a stand.

First, it is a known fact that over since MacArthur undertook the policy of waging an all-out war in Korea with full intentions of carrying it to the doorstop of Red China, thus risking the danger of precipitating a world war in Asia, there has been much unrest and antagonism among our allies, particularly among the peoples of Western Europe. They felt, and perhaps rightly so, that it was a slap in their face for us to pour so many men and materials into such an insignificant place of no particular strategic value, while they were so badly needed for the defense of Western Europe against the iminent threat of Red invasion. If merely to preserve Allied unity, MacArthur's removal would seem justified.

There is an even more important principle involved. If the United Nations is to be an effective body to preserve peace its police powers must be administered with the common approval and supervision of the member nations. General MacArthur, although undoubtedly having the best interests of the free peoples of the world in mind, took it upon himself to direct the overall policy of the U.N. forces without bothering to consult either the U.N. council or his own Commander in Chief. If an individual can take it on himself to disregard the United Nations in such important matters of policy then of course he is defecting the very principles of the U.N., and thus, in the long run, defeating the chances of eventual world peace. Laurence Alpert   Harvard World Federalists