Evening star., 1949-02-21
Macarthur Aide Offers,
To Waive Immunity
# Miss Smed|ey Sues
BY the Associated Press


BY the Asseeiated Press
TOKYO. Feb. 21.-Maj Gen.
Charles A. Willoughby, chief Of
Gen. MacArthur's intelligence
staff, today offered to waive i'm
munity to legal or any other
action" as a result of the sorge
spy report.
Miss Agnes Smedley, American
writer. was named as a Soviet
agent by the spy report, which
was prepared under Gen. Will
loushby's direction. Miss Smed-
lev denied the charge and threat
ened to sue Gen. Macarthur If he
would waive immunity.
In Detroit. Miss Smedley's at
torney. o. John Rogge. said:
If it's true the general has
waived immunity and is taking
responsibility for the report, he
can get a New York lawyer right
now because we're certainly going
to sue"
Mr.. Rogge, here for the National
Lawyers Guild convention. said
there's no question Miss Smedley
had been libeled.
Internal Fight Charged.
In New York. Miss Smedley
brushed aside Gen. Willoughby'
offer as a move designed to pro
tect his superior" Gen. Macarthur.
In a statement released by one
of her attorneys, Miss Smedley
said:
Gen. Macarthur is a brave man
and he is the responsible officer in
command of the Far East. Let him
waive his immunity and Twill sue
him for libel"
The writer said she apparently
is caught in the crossfire of
bitter internal War Department
fight involving overall Japanese
policy between Gen. Macarthur
and his aides on the one hand. and
Secretary of the Army Royal on
the other"
The report as released b. the
Army said German Communist.
Richard Sorge, and a japanese
Communist pried important in
formation from high connections
In the Tokyo government. Both
were later hanged by the Jap
anese.
Washington is Blamed.
Gen. Willoughby placed respon-
sibility on Washington authorities
for releasing the spy report
against the wishes of Gen. Mac
Arthur.
He made his remarks in a spe-
eial statement obviously intended
to answer an Army public rela-
tions officers remarks that the
Army lacked proof Miss Smedley
was a Russian spy.
II differ emphatically from
those who belittle the documen-
tation supporting the report.
Gen. Willoughby said. This
accommodation is voluminouS and
has not been published"
Gen. Willoughby said the re-
port was secret military intel
ngence document and was not
written or intended for public
relase. The decision to release it
to the public was the sole re-
sponsibility of Washington au-
thorities and was not favored at
this headquarters"
Headquarters Shocked. ..
Presumably Gen. Macarthur ap-
proved the statement in advance,
as he does all such important
announcements. Gen. Willoughby's
answer has been under discussion
here since Saturday. 1t is no secret
that Gen. MacArthur's head
quarters was shocked by what
was regarded as Washington's
reputation of intelligence meth
ods used to prepare the report.
Gen. Willoughby said he took
responsibility for preparation Of
the report and said it embraced
all the information procurable
here with the comments and de-
ductions therefrom, normal to a
security investigative agency"
The told a news conference 10
days ago the Army had more
on" Miss Smedley than the role
attributed to her in the Sorge
ring. At the same time he said he
would have released the report
earlier for its education" value
although he did not indicate then
whether he meant in the same |
form as 1t appeared.