The Wilmington morning star., 1945-12-29
Interpreting
The News
BY RUSSELL BRINES
Substituting for James d. White

Substituting for James D. White)
TOKYO, Dec. 28.-lR- Aged ano
secretive Count Obuaki Maxine
once ousted by militarists from the
empires highest post, is the lead
err and dominant voice of Japan's
new acknowledgements ruling
clique, informed Japanese sources
say.
Maxine blocked Emperor Hiro'
hito's contemplated abdication i'm.
mediately after the surrender,
these sources assert, and. has op.
posed consistently any suggestion
for the rulers retirement.
The 74-year-oid former Lore
Keeper of the Privy Seal exercises
his power from a small, secluded
villa on the edge of Tokyo. Would
be interviewers are told he is toe
ill and 'too out of touch with
things" for a statement. But mes
sengers of all ranks carry his ad
vice to the throne.
The informed sources identify as
other figures of this ruling group:
Premier Kiro Schidehara, 70; re-
tired Adm. Kantaro Suzuki 78
president of the Pr.vy Council;
Foreign Minister Shigeru Voshida
II; Tsuneo Matsudaira, SO, for
mer Imperial minister and one
time ambassador to Washington
and London.
These men, at one time or an.
other, opposed the militarists anc
Jingoists. They are known as lib
erals but their liberalism stems
from the past.
Maxine was Lord Keeper of the
Privy Seal from 1925 to 1885. For
four previous years, he was I'm
perial Household Minister. Thus
Maxine was associated intimately
with Hirohito from the time The
latter became a Regent, upon his
fathers illness, throughout the tur
bulent period which finally result
ed in military usurpation of pow
er.
In late 1895, Maxine and Suzuki
then chief Chamberlain came under
increasingly strong militarist OPP
position as Revolutionary liber
ais" Maxine resigned Dec. 26
1885. His successor, Makato Saito
was killed in an uprising the fol
lowing February. Suzuki resigned
after the Feb. 26 incident.
Suzuki subsequently returned t,
the palace as the Emperor's chic
aide, then served briefly as pre-
mier during the summer of 1915
His cabinet concluded the surren
der.
Yoshida is Makinc's son-in-law
The Counts influence was percep
tible when Yoshida was appointed
Foreign Minister during the Higa
shi-Kuni cabinet reshuffle, result
ing in the custer of Mwmoro,
Shigemitsu who was backed strong
ly by Konoye.
Matsudaira is the father-in-lay
of Prince Chichibu, eldest brothe
of the Emperor, and served as I'm
perial Household Minister between
1886 and early 1915. Before tina
he was one of Japan's best know
diplomats.
Another important figure, thes
same sources say, is retired Adm
Keisuke Okada, 70, who premie
was the principal target of tn
1896 uprising. He escaped by
rpse and lives in retirement. Hi
influence increased toward the en-
of the war through the Emperor
confidence.
= With Yoshida as 'messenge
boy, the clique decided upo,
Shidehara as the current premie
after a series of exchanges Q
opinion with Maxine.
| h;dehara already has said hi
cabinet will decide on the mex
leader if it considers the results Q
the forthcoming election are nc
representative of the people
opinions.
The Shidehara cabinet evidentl
will remain as a stopgap govern
ment. 1t reflects the clique's "cor
sentative liberalism" which
based upon protection of the EN-