The Wilmington morning star., 1947-03-18
COMMANDER URGES
PEACE PACT
Future Guidance Oh Form
er Allied Foe Would Be
Left To u N

TOKYO, March II. -(PD- Cen
era1 Macarthur declared TODAY
that a peace treaty with Japan
should be made quickly, abolishing
the occupation and leaving future
guidance of this country to the
United Nations.
IF the United Nations ever is
to succeed, this is the most IA
vorable opportunity it ever had"
the occupation commander told
American correspondents at a
luncheon.
eff the United Nations cannot
provide mild controls it cannot
meet anything ... the Japanese
would accept it it would be
considered protective rather than
repressive. 1t could continue as
long as it vas beneficent.
II would not envision any mill
tary formations of any sort after
a peace treaty. Bayonet control
would be a mockery."
Pressed for an opinion on when a
treaty should be made, Macarthur
replied, "for the record I'll say
as soon as possible
He indicated his belief that 1t
should be concluded in a matter
OF months at most. And on another
point said, "it would be advisable
Tor the world to initiate at this
time peace talks with Japan"
Conditions Ripe
The military occupation which
he heads ''should cease complete.
ly with a peace treaty." he reit-
Grated, because l think, condi-
tons are ripe for it now"
Explaining this view, MarArthur
said, "our occupation job here
can be defined as falling roughly
into three phases: military, politi-
cal and economic -.
THE military purpose, which is
to insure that Japan will follow the
ways OF peace and never again be
a menace, has been, 1 think, &C.
complished . the political phase
is approaching such completion as
is possible under the occupation"
He mentioned the process of de-
mocratization and said. ''her spirit
ual revolution has been probably
the greatest the world has ever
known"
On the third phase, however.
he asserted, Japan is still econom-
ically blockaded by the allied pow
ers. Economic warfare along those
lines is still as bitter here as when
guns were firing; and now the
strangulation is worst because we
have returned millions of repa-
~triates from abroad"
Stating that economic warfare
was deadlier in its final effects
than ven atomic bombing, he said,
eff we keep this economic block
AIDE up, more and more will we
have to support this country. 1t is
expensive luxury. but we will pay
for it or let people die by the mil
lions"
Remarking that there was mot
the same unity among the allies"
on economic phases of the occupa-
ton as in military and political
matters, Macarthur said 'this is
not a phase that occupation can
settle"
Barter System
Japan's only permissible trade
now is through a barter system
under occupation headquarters'
control, but we've had to take 1t
trade) out of the hands Of gov.
eminent and put it in the hands of
private traders" he said.
Japan. he continued, 'has been
squeezed out of pretty nearly every
thing we can expect to squeeze out
of her. I am not talking of repara-
tons now but she already has
lost Manchuria, Korea, and Formo-
sa. There is little left"
Nevertheless, he said, 81 think
Japan can pay back all the dollars
we appropriate" but that the
United States should hold a first
LEM on her trade.
The Macarthur conference, his
first formal on-the-record session
with the press corps since early In
the war, came at the end OF a
luncheon rendered for him at the
Tokyo correspondents club.