Evening star., 1945-08-17
Surrender on U.S.. Ship
Believed Truman Wish
Observer Says Macarthur Order
Causing Unfavorable Impression
BY David Laurence


BY David Laurence
Designation Of the place where sur
render terms are to be signed has been
left by President Truman to Gen. Mac
Arthur, but with an indication that the
President would prefer to have the
ceremonies on the deck Of battleship
close to Tokyo.
The idea of having the Japanese sign
surrender terms In Manila, which is
1900 miles away from Tokyo, has not
made favorable impression here, but
there is no reason to believe that Gen.
Macarthur ever intended to have it
that way. Rather it is believed that
there has been some misunderstanding
of the initial preparations which re-
quired that a delegation come to Ma
nila to make preliminary arrangements
for the final surrender.
There are many men in the Army
and Navy who feel that for psychologi-
cal effect the surrender therefore should
be held either at Tokyo in the Emper-
or's palace or at an island in Tokyo
Bay. They feel that for the signing to
take place in Manila would be the same
as accepting the surrender of Germany
somewhere in the Mediterranean. If
it is true that the Allies lost face" in
Asia by their defeats in 1941 and 1912,
then it Is reasoned that the Allies would
not recover face" by a ceremony taking
place so far distant from the shores of
Japan itself.
Navy Carried Brunt.
The Navy carried the brunt of the
Pacific war. The Marine Corps after
heavy losses conquered the islands from
which the B-29s few their atomic bombs.
The Army Air Forces did magnificent
job in following up from the captured
bases. This, however, is no time to try
to allocate credit, as it will be agreed
that the Army under Gen. Macarthur,
coming up from New Guinea to the
Philippines, played a decisive role, too.
But it may be assumed that since Gen.
Macarthur has been given supreme
command this is an occasion when he
will concede a point to the other armed
services, especially the Navy, and rec
N6AAAHS Will VIVA n Ny 1lLolcG41l6 tlloG tllc
ceremony be held on battleship close
to Tokyo Bay.
The best place of all for the surrender
ceremony to be held would be the EN-
perors palace in Tokyo. But there are
practical difficulties. It would take a
week or more to land an air-borne force.
1t might be taking chances of complica-
tions and disorders and the important
thing now iS to follow up the formal
japanese surrender promptly and not
let too much time elapse.
The United States has the most DOW
erful naval fleet in the world at the
doorstep Of Tokyo. The carriers could
remain outside as protection against
anything untoward and the Japanese
ENJOYS could either come aboard the
battleship and sign there. or Admiral
Halsey could steam straight into Tokyo
Bay on a single ship and drop anchor
in the capital of Japan. That would be
a demonstration of American power and
at the same time would emphasize to
all the world the complete defeat of
Japan.
Dramatic Effects.
Maybe it will all happen that way, but
these last "a hours have revived un-
happily the comments of those officers
hereabouts who have suggested that the
general, while military genius of in
comparable qualities, is too conscious
OF the need for dramatic effects.
Gen. MacArthur's place, however, is
too firm in the hearts of his country
men for the impression to be accepted
that he would rather have the stage set
at Manila than Tokyo Bay because it
would emphasize the recovery of the
Philippines and be reversal of our own
| surrender at Bataan.
The prevailing opinion here Is that
the surrender ceremony must make
clear to all of Asia as we'll as Japan
that the japanese Empire is defeated
and If the signing of the terms in Tokyo
| or close to it Strengthens that impress
sion, it will be supported. 1t might we'll
be that some circumstance not known
here but which appeals to the judg-
ment of Gen. Macarthur as imperative
may have an influence on the final
decision.
| fReprodurtior