Evening star., 1947-02-02
Jap Left Leaders Urge
That Council Go Over.
MacArfhur's Head
BY the Assoeiofed Press

TOKYO, Feb. 1.-Thwarted by
Gen. Macarthur in their attempt to
tie UP the country with general
strike OF government employees, left
list japanese labor leaders appealed
to the four-power council for Japan
today to go over his head.
This first direct challenge to the
supreme commanders authority was
mildly worded, but nevertheless
asked the council to recommend that
the 11-power Far Eastern Commis-
sion send investigators to study the
labor dispute and Gen. MacArthur's
order of yesterday forbidding a
strike.
The council. representing the
United States, Britain, China and
Russia, is purely an advisory body.
A companion appeal also polite,
was sent to Gen. Macarthur him
self, asking that he reconsider.
Abandon Defiance of Ban.
For the time being the strike of
100000 government workers was
off. The last threat faded when the
Japanese Express Co. union aban-
doned its previously announced in
tention of calling walkout of its
10000 members in defiance of Gen.
MacArthur's ban.
The express union leaders said
they were put under pressure by &C.
cupation headquarters, remarking
"a union of defeated country is
bound to obey MacArthur's order" !"
but informing their locals to stand
by for new strike call at any mo-
ment. They complained that Japa-
nese police had threatened to arrest
them if a strike were called.
The others of the 13 unions in
volved had called off strike plans a
day earlier, but their joint strike
committee continued to meet.
Besides the typewriter appeals
to the council and to Gen. Mac
Arthur personally, groups of union
leaders visited foreign correspond
ents and presented union views.
In lengthy conversations, they
assailed the Conservative govern
ment of Premier Shigeru Yoshida
more than they stressed their de-
mands for 200 per cent wage raises.
The government offered 100 per cent
increases.
Challenge to Occupation.
The strike effort and supporting
propaganda campaign were the
best organized since japanese
unionists began to try out their
strength many months ago.
The attempt to bypass'Gen. Mac
Arthur underscored previous indi-
cations that a primary purpose of
the whole strike project was to
challenge the occupation.
Ever since the japanese sur
render, Gen. MacArthur's orders
have been accepted by all Japanese
without open compaint, although
sometimes extremely quiet efforts
have been made for modification.
In the present instance labor
leaders we're maintaining firm dis
cipline over the rank and file to
prevent anything which might
cause intervention of occupation
forces, but at the same time were
keeping their case alive with the
appeals.
Shortly before the appeals, va
shire I, chairman of the strike
committee, said I'VE now will go
into production control to win our
demands"
Production control-in which
unions themselves keep the business
going while locking out the man
agement--recently was outlawed by
the Diet and has been condemned
by Gen. Macarthur 1t was not
clear whether this strategy still
would be followed in view of the
appeals, but another probable
union step would be for each union
to approach the government sepa-
rately on wage demands.
In appealing to the four-power
council, the labor leaders said, I'VE
fear there will be a serious inter
ruption to the characterization of
Japan while the undemocratic, re-
dictionary government will further
abuse its power and the living of
the workers will be deadly (sic)