Evening star., 1945-09-26
DeaIey Offers Proof
|0f Words
On Brief Occupation
E. the Associated Press.

| DALLAS, Sept. 26.-The Dallas
Morning News, in connection with
Gen. MacArthur's denial of reports
attributed to him that the American
Army Of Occupation might be in
Japan for six months, published the
following statement last night by
E. M. (TeO Dealey, PRESIDENT
On September at a luncheon in
Gen. MacArthur's residence in Yoko-
hama were the following:
Gen. Macarthur, Brig. Gen. Bon
ner Fellers, his military secretary;
Col. Roger o. Egeberg, aide-de-
camp to Gen. Macarthur and his
personal physician; w. Robert Wal
ton, managing editor of the South
Bend Und), Tribune: Frank r.
Ahlgren, executive editor of the
Memphis Commercial Appeal, and
myself.
The question asked Gen. Mac
Arthur was:
Gen. Macarthur, how long will
the Army Of Occupation have 10
stay IN Japan?"
Macarthur Reply Quoted.
Gen. MacArthur's reply, and !
quote him verbatim from my diary
was:
six months, II we are not too
ruthless and cruel; indefinitely II
we do not handle them right"
NO mention was made of any
minimum of 100000 men in his an
swer to this inquiry, or what might
be the policy under favorable con-
ditions." Our understanding was
that the entire Army of Occupa-
ton would be removed within six
months, provided we were not too
ruthless and cruel.
| Gen. MacArthur's answer to this
question so startled the three news
papermen present that they asked
second question Immediately:
We'll, general, If you are going
to remove the entire Army IT
Occupation from Japan within six
months what guarantee have YOU
that the japanese will not begin
to build up for another war IS or
20 years from now-juSt as soon as
we move out?
General Explains.
Gen. MacArthur's reply was, and
l again quote him verba tim:
/ am going to Ak things so that
Japan will never be able to start
another War. The Japanese people
VIII have a hard enough time eating
Tor the next Is years, much less
getting ready to start another war
The rising sun is setting sun. ia
pan is through forever as a military
power"
Everything that Gen. Macarthur,
said to the three newspapermen
present at his luncheon was, at the
generals request. of the record
But Gen. Macarthur explained that
ne made this request only because
ne didn't want to scoop" the lOC
or SO newspaper correspondents reg
ularly with him and who were not
present on this particular occasion
Since this pledge of secrecy was
imposed on us by Gen. Macarthur
more than two weeks have ELAPSED
and in that two weeks time prac-
tlcally everything that Gen. Mac
~~~e~A ScAa w 10 az tlllS luIlCIleOIl
mad come out piecemeal through
other news stories and from other
correspondents. Therefore, / felt at
liberty, as a result of this, to dis
close what Gen. Macarthur said to
US personally.
Certainly ! do not seek. or like,
controversy or MISUNDERSTANDING
with Gen. Macarthur. It is quite
possible that he had those things
in his mind when he now states he
said - indefinitely. if we do not
handle them right" in speaking of
occupation
Both Mr.. Ahlgren and Mr..
Walton, the other two news
papermen present at the lunch
con. confirmed the exact quo
tations attributed to Gen. Mac
Arthur in Mr. Dealey's article,
when contracted by the Dallas
newS)
Signed:
E. NJ. (TED) DEALEY.
Dractlaof ttn ~ aune Nov,,-