Evening star., 1946-06-09
Jap Electorate Takes
Center Political Line,
Macarthur Declares
BY the Associoted Press

TOKYO, sunday, June 9.-Japan
wants neither revolution nor reac-
ton, Gen. Macarthur said today;
and Korea, although expecting
eventual independence, is interested
at the moment only in food.
The supreme commander in his
monthly summary of the Allied oc-
cupation of Japan and the American
military government of Korea re-
ported:
The present temper of the Japa-
nese electorate does not favor ex-
tremes either of the right or of the
left"
Koreans, "pessimistic" toward the
outcome of now-deadlocked United
States-Soviet negotiations to set up
a Korean government, nevertheless
remained quiet because their pri-
mary interest is "in their own i'm
mediate food problems.
Gen. Macarthur noted that sew
eral major changes have been made
in the American military govern
ment in Southern Korea Ito extend
greater responsibility to Koreans.
Russia controls the north half of the
country.
Progress Reviewed.
Reviewing progress in Japan, the
Allied commander stressed that
neither the government nor the
Allied forces interfered with the
April election. For the first time
in decades the people could vote
as they pleased, and they chose "a
vice central course
He noted continuing good" at
titude toward occupation troops and
said Japan has taken "the first step
on the road toward eventual crea-
ton of a responsible government.
Japanese politics is still in
state of nux. The multiplicity of
parties and candidates reflects con-
fusion of transitional period. Dur
ing the war, all political activities
was strictly regimented by the
government
Political Lid Is on.
Now the lid is off and the po-
litical pot is boiling furiously.
Issues which will dominate the
Japanese political life in coming
years have not yet been clearly de-
fined, nor have party lines been
finally drawn"
OF this Gen. Macarthur was cer-
tain, however:
Checks on Japan's political evo-
luton by the repressive military
economic clique have been largely
removed. Japan no longer is a
police state"
The military has disappeared as
political force. AS a result of
the purge directive of January 4,
persons with militaristic or ultra
nationalistic records have been
eliminated largely from public Office
and political life and are ineligible
for diet membership.
Gen. Macarthur said that in view
of the magnitude and speed of the
japanese demobilization there were
not many groups which would seek
to perpetuate their military pro-
fession.'
Opposition Is Small.
The report found little or no in
dication of any "substantial' Jap
anese efforts to oppose occupation.
Rare instances of minor sub
versive planning have been rooted
out-more probably will be found
but they are inf1nitesimal. There
have been only minor incidents of
definite assault on occupational
personnel. Crime incidence in gen.
eral on the part of the Japanese
is probably lower than in any coun-
try in the world"
The report cited some civil un-
rest in Japan, as in Korea, STEM
ming from the food scarcity and
commodity shortages.
The picture was brighter on the
Japanese economic front.
Wages and the cost of living re-
manned relatively stable in Japan,
but Gen. Macarthur said studies
indicated that despite continual
adjustments "the current earnings
of the average worker are less than
half of his monthly expenditures.
Employment clung to its high