MacArthur's Muscles

The last word in Army etiquette came last week from Australia. General Douglas MacArthur, 63. played Emily Post. His confused pupil was Lee Van Atta. 24, I.N.S. Australian bureau head and ex-Hollywood juvenile (Captains Courageous, etc.).

Teacher and pupil reached the lobby floor of Melbourne's Hotel Menzies in the same elevator. The door opened. Van Atta retreated to let the General out first.

The General insisted that the reporter go first. They argued politely. MacArthur finally broke it up by projecting Van Atta into the lobby with a muscular shove.

After this introduction to Four-Star etiquette, Van Atta got another lesson in Lieut. General George Kenney's head quarters in Port Moresby. The reporter was sitting on the floor talking to Kenney when MacArthur entered. Van Atta started to get to his feet, MacArthur told him to stay put. Politely, Van Atta still strove to rise. The General hollered "Sit down," and enforced the order with a whack on the shoulder that crumpled the cor respondent to the floor.

Says Van Atta: "I'm [now] probably the greatest living authority on Mac-Arthur's strength and able to assert most solemnly that it's still terrific."

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