Evening star., 1947-09-02
Macarthur Stresses
Japan's S Stability on
Anniversary Of Fall
BY the As,oeioted Pres,

TOXIC, Sept. 2.-Gen Mac
Arthur declared today on the second
anniversary of Japan's formal sur
render that Japan had become "one
of the few places in a distraught
world where. despite an economy of
critically short supply, there is a
minimum of fear, of confusion and
Of unrest.
In statement he attributed this
to an occupation policy in which
right, rather than might, has been
the criterion and urged that a
peace treaty 'be approached in the
same tolerant and Just atmosphere.
The treaty should insure that
this defeated country has the op-
portunlty to become self sustaining
rather than reduced to a condition
OF mendicancy," he said. A post
treaty Japan should not become
burden upon the economy of any
other country"
Denies Danger of Collapse
Japan, he added, sis in no danger
Of economic collapse" and if given
a just opportunity to live in free
dom and peace with her neighbors
in the community of nations, there
will be no threat to the survival
and strengthening Of the democratic
processes here inaugurated under
the occupation.
For democracy, once firmly
rooted in the human heart. has
never voluntarily yielded before any
other conflicting theology known
to man. If liberty and public moral
ity do not bring national stability,
nothing can"
A. year ago, Gen. MacArthur's
anniversary statement discussed
bluntly what he then termed "the
dread uncertainty arising from i'm
pending ideologies which now stir
mankind" He had urged per-
severance in the occupation task
for the strategic position of these
Japanese islands render them either
powerful bulwark for peace of a
dangerous springboard for war"
Policy Is Stressed
BY comparison, the supreme COM
mander made only slight reference
to the world situation in today's
statement. Instead, he emphasized
the current occupation policy of
urging that the japanese be given
a peace settlement enabling them
to stand on their own economic
feet and removing the financial
burden from American taxpayers.
Discussing the peace treaty, Gen
Macarthur said history had proved
that "a people, given fair chance,
will reach the niche in human
society to which their own industry,
their own skill and their own per-
severance entitle them, without
largess from others-that largess
stultifies rather than quickens the
private initiative and individual
energy so essential to human prog
ress.
"It is, furthermore, false concept
which contends that democracy can
only thrive If maintained in plenty
On the contrary, history shows that
it springs from hardship and strug-
gle and toll, to flourish naturally
Ill tIiC 1lCdI Uo Ol lllCll VIII IIlCk LS1l
individual freedom and dignity
or not at all A spiritual commodity,
it is neither for purchase nor for
sale"
Saying that there need be no
concern over fears recently ex-
pressed Of imminent economic COL
lapse" of Japan, he said the ma
tion's economy actually collapsed
during the war, and since had
been rebuilt so that industrial pro-
duction "has now risen to over IS
percent of the prewar normal and
the improvement can be expected
to continue"
Foreign Trade Urged
Gen. Macarthur characterized
this relative stability" as among
"the most amazing and encourag-
ing features of the occupation Pc
riod."
The commander reiterated, how
ever, that to make Japan self
supporting, 'it is essential that the
economic isolation imposed by the
Allies be modified so that trade
with the outside world can be re-
sumed."
During the two years of the oc-
ccupation, Gen Macarthur said,
both sides-the Allies and the Jap
anese-have by adherence to the
letter and spirit of their respective
undertakings acquitted themselves
honorably and well-and both have
benefited from the relationship.
History records no other instance
in which military occupatio of a