Evening star., 1945-11-30
Authorizing Atrocities
Denied by Yamashita
lin Address 10 Court
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MANILA, Nov. 3O.-Lt. Gen. To-
moyuki Yamashita told his trial.
court today that he not only never
authorized his subordinates to COM
NIT atrocities in the Philippines, but
If the present situation will permit,
1 will punish them to the fullest ex-
tent of military law"
His declaration was made in a As
minute address to the American
military commission trying him on
war crime charges. He added that
he had inferior troops who badly
needed training and discipline
which, under pressure of attack by
superior American forces, he had
no time to administer.
Earlier he had denied ever stating
that he refused to declare Manila
an open city because it would be a
dlshonor to Japanese arms.
u. Retains Poise.
Yamashita, retaining his poise de-
spite relentless cross-examination
emphatically denied having made
such a statement to Jose Laurel
puppet president of the Philippines.
Prosecution witnesses have testi-
fed that mass attacks and other
horrors were committed by japanese
troops last February in the battle
for Manila.
In contrast with the conduct of
the japanese, Gen. Macarthur had
declared the Philippine capital an
open city when the enemy attacked
the outnumbered American and Fill
pino defenders in December, 1941.
Yamashita previously testified in
his own behalf that he could have
taken such action only if ordered
by the imperial command in Tokyo
through the supreme southern COM
mand.
Denies Terauchi Order.
Earlier today, Yamashita denied
ne had received an order from Field
Marshal Count Terauchi, supreme
southern commander, to hold Ma
Mia, its airfields and its sea frontiers
at all costs, and on relinquishing
the city, to destroy them completely
Maj. Robert Kerr, the prosecutor.
said japanese liaison committee
had furnished him such information.
1t had been established that COM
munlcations were open and Yama-
shlta fairly consistently was in con-
tact with Terauchi.
The general acknowledged under
Maj. Kerr's questioning that al
though he knew few ships were
reaching Japan from the Philippines
because of the tight American sea
and air blockade. he did nothing to
malt Shipment of American prison.
ers OF war to Japan in December.
1914.
Japs Clear Ruins.
Sixty thousand japanese, working
from dawn to dusk, are clearing up
the ruins left by the Japs street-by-
street, building by-building defense
of South Manila last February.
They were put to work after
Manila dailies criticized the policy
VA AAoAoiiS tliClll Ill TGSJ CAMPS while .
awaiting repatriation. Every Armv
installation in Manila has groups of
the thin ex-conquerors, dressed in
1aded blue dungarees or castoff
jungle camouf1age clothes, swinging
picks and using sfovels.
The japanese work IL hours a
day, six days week. = |
A large group is filling shell holes
and removing demolished air-raid
shelters from the grounds of the
High Commissioners residence
few yards from the court where
Yamashita is on trial. .s
The Yank guards never keep tha3t
eyes on the prisoners-they witch
instead the Filipino populaces 10
prevent them from throwing rocks |
or rotten vegetables at the self |
styled ''liberators of oppressed |
Asiatics." Several Instances have
been reported of GIs thwarting
Filipinos who attempted to assault |
the japanese.