Part 2 of The Stars and Stripes Article about Mrs. Douglas MacArthur

Wickipedia picture of Jean MacArthur

Family Trails readers, 

Last week we began a very long article about Mrs. Douglas MacArthur found in the scrapbook of Charles Sisson Weaver. The article was printed in Stars and Stripes Weekly Review on Sunday, November 16, 1947. Here is part 2 of that article: 

And officers who have served closely with MacArthur, who know the story of the rare partnership which is their marriage, are delighted that she long since made the decision to stay. 

Many of them honestly believe that Jean MacArthur is the reason Douglas MacArthur has carried the strain of war years and post-war occupation so well. As one general laughingly told me, Jean keeps us from him; he doesn't have to live, think, eat and work with his staff constantly bothering him. His mind can rest when he's at home and around his family; he's fresh when he comes back to the office. The time he has at home is his only real reason  for relaxation; Jean sees to it that he gets it."

Mrs. MacArthur does a good deal more that that. She supervises personally a household of 10 servants and many rooms. She does the bulk of the family shopping herself at Tokyo. She is constantly being invited to teas and clubs' openings and parades, most of which she finds time to attend-almost quietly and without fanfare.

She is engrossed in the task of raising her soon-to -be-ten son, Arthur. She takes motherly pride in his progress-which has been almost astonishing in the last two years. He's slimmed, grown taller and has a calm, friendly self-assurance which reflects qualities of both his mother and father. 

Her  personal mail is enormous and she, like MacArthur himself, reads it personally and answers most of it the same way. Her reading habits are prolific (she likes to keep well informed as MacArthur) and her tastes are catholic. 

She and her husband are amazingly well abreast of every development in every place in the world. Mrs. MacArthur admits she is more than slightly aghast at zooming prices in the United States.

I hope you all enjoyed this second part of this long article about Jean MacArthur and her life in post-war Japan with her husband, the general and their son. Next week we will read the final portion of the article. Much love and a happy "Weaver Wednesday" to you all.

Mariellan