Evening star., 1945-09-04
MucArthur's Words
On Surrender Hailed
He Articulated the American
Ideal, Says Observer
Bv David Laurence

By David Laurence
No more eloquent or more fitting
series of sentences have been uttered
since the famous Gettysburg address Of
Abraham Lincoln than the brief but
penetrating phrases spoken by Gen.
Douglas Macarthur in his address on
the battleship Missouri just before the
surrender papers were signed by Japan.
There was transcendent meaning in
the words OF the Supreme Allied Com
mander as he articulated the American
ideal-in fact, the democratic ideal-and
one could not help but feel that some
one high up on the Allied side should
nave said the same thing when the
Germans laid down their arms For
their sin was no bigger nor any less
than that of the japanese aggressors,
and what Gen. Macarthur said is what
must be said if victors and vanquished
are to lay the foundations of a per-
manent peace.
There was no note of cheap exultation
nor was there the slightest trace of
sWashbuckling in the whole ceremony.
Gen. MacArthur's words, so we'll chosen
for the occasion, could be pondered alike
by the japanese as well as other peoples.
Worth Repeating.
The first paragraph is worth repeat
ing:
I'VE are gathered here, representa-
tlves of the major warning powers, to
conclude solemn agreement whereby
peace may be restored. The issues, in
VolVlng divergent ideals and ideologies,
have been determined on the battlefelds
OF the world and hence are not for dis
cussion or debate. Nor is it for us here to
meet, representing as we do a majority
OF the peoples of the earth, in spirit
OF dlstrust, malice or hatred But rather
1t is for us, both victors and vanouisheo.
to rise to that higher dignity which
alone benefits the sacred purposes we
are about to serve, committing all of
our peoples unreservedly to faithful COM
pliance with the undertakings they are
here formally to assume"
AS Gen. Macarthur thereupon called
for world founded upon faith and
NOI III utulCdUeO 10
the dignity of man and the fulfllment
OF his most cherished wish-for free
dom, tolerance and justice" the Allied
spokesman was rejecting clearly the
democratic ideal and, indeed the his
tor1c centuries-old Judeo- Christian
ideal.
The greatness of the speech was not
just Its words but the pledge behind
them-our pledge to encourage freedom
and tolerance and justice inside the
japanese empire and to expect in re-
turn new spirit of freedom and toler-
ance and justice in international rela-
tionShips
Bigger Job Ahead
There are many persons in the world
who only few weeks ago were calling
for military annihlation and further
flghtlng even as the japanese offered to
surrender. The wisdom Of President
Truman and his advisers in letting the
Emperor institution remain as mean,
OF enforcing early surrender without
more bloodshed has been confirmed.
Now 1t remains for America to utilize
the existing institutions in japan to
change the whole character and attitude
OF the Japanese people toward world
peace. To accomplish that job militar-
Ism must be eradicated and war GRIM
lnals hanged as an example.
Gen. Macarthur is essentially cau-
tlous man. He will proceed slowly but
surely. He has the tremendous respon-
slollity now of Furnishing the brute COM
manders who tortured our prisoners and
the militarists who have been assassi-
mating liberals and committing the
whole japanese people to fanaticsl war
fare.
But he has also the task of helping
TO construct a new Japan in the Far
East-a Japan that will be friendly to
the United States and not veneeful.
For with the clamor of parents for our
troops and sailors to come home. the
method of enforcing a stern peace that
ignores the Interests of the enemy people
would in the long run, require a per-
manent occupation force This would
not be sanctioned by democracies and.
even If 1t were, that method has never
proved effective in building friendship.
The cry for unconditional surrender"
has been satisfied. Now comes the big
ger job of keeping the peace won-and
1t cannot be done by the sword alone.
1t must be done with justice and toll
erance" for that is the real way to
build firmly the foundations of mutual
good will