Evening star., 1947-08-18
Delay on Jap Treaty Unlikely
Despite Loss of Atcheson's Aid
Envoy Rated Second
Only to Macarthur in
KNOWLEDGE of Issues

Despite the wealth of information
George c. Atcheson, jr., carried to
his apparent death in the Pacific,
diplomatic authorities said today
they expect no major upset in the
Japanese peace treaty time table.
AS political adviser to Gen. Mac
Arthur and chairman of the four
power Allied Council in Tokyo. the
veteran career diplomat probably
had q more intimate knowledge of
problems confronting the peace
makers than any other individual
except Gen. Macarthur himself.
Officials here said, however, that
preparations for writing q prelim-
mary draft of the treaty are far
enough advanced that they need not
be affected by Mr.. Atcheson's alb
sence.
These talks, involving either 10
or ii of the nations which had an
active role in the Pacific war, have
not been set definitely but probably
will open here next month. The
only major uncertainty is whether
Russia will take part.
Soviet Demand Rejected.
The United States only last week
rejected q Soviet demand that the
treaty draft be worked out exclu-
sively by American, Russian, British
and Chinese foreign ministers.
The American view Is (a) that
all the nations which had direct
hand in whipping the Japanese
should have q voice in the peace
settlement and 90 If Moscow dis
agrees it can count itself out.
A major factor behind this coun-
try's insistence to frame the treaty
on q many-nation basis is to get
away from the big-power veto which
snagged European peace making by
the Council of Foreign Ministers.
In his role as chairman OF the
Advisory Council, MIR. Atcheson was
we'll acquainted with Soviet views
both on the Japanese occupation
and on the peacetime future of the
island empire. He had numerous
brushes with the Soviet delegate on
the Council.
Mr.. Atcheson also was well ac-
quainted with japanese views. His
rank of Ambassador permitted him
to deal directly with the Emperor
rather than merely through the
japanese Foreign Minister.
In his long career in the Far East,
Mr.. Atcheson had figured in num-
ber of dramatic and important in
cidents.
He was aboard the American gun
boat Panay when that vessel was
bombed and sunk by the Japanese
in China's Yangtze River in De-
cember, 1887.
When Patrick J. Hurley resigned
as Ambassador to China in Decem-
ber, 1945, he sharply criticized Mr..
Atcheson, saying he had gone con-
trary to the Ambassador. Gen. Hur-
ley charged before the Senate For
eign Relations Committee that Mr..
Atcheson had advocated furnishing
lend-lease equipment to the Chinese
Communists.
James r. Byrnes, then Secretary
of State, defended Mr.. Atcheson and
said Gen. Hurley had not furnished
any evidence to support his COM
plants.
Mr.. Atcheson has been chief po-
litical adviser to Gen. Macarthur
since shortly after the Japanese
surrender and the erection of occu-
patton machinery.
Went to Peiping I'm 1920.
Mr.. Atcheson was born in Denver
in 1896. He attended high school
in Oakland, Calf, and was gradu-
ated from the University of Cali
fornia in 1919. During World War
I he served In the Army.
After brief tour in newspaper
and magazine work he was assigned
as student interpreter in the lega-
ton at Peiping in 1920. He had
spent most OF his diplomatic life In
the Far East, principally China,
since then.
Recalled to Washington In 1899,
he was made assistant chief of the
Division of Far Eastern Affairs In
1941. In 1912 he represented the
State Department on the exchange