Evening star., 1950-06-02
japanese Reds Facing
Showdown Tomorrow
In Anti-U. ). Strike
By the Associated Press

BY the Associoted Press
TOKYO, June.2.-Japan's Com
munists, goaded to fighting temper
by international revolutionists,
may face a showdown In tomor-
rows anti American general
strike"
Reliable japanese sources said
today that Gen. MacArthur's
headquarters is studying a gov
ernment plan to outlaw the Japan
Communist Party.
The details already are known
to the Communists through the
usual leaks, the sources said.
Whether the plan will be
adopted may depend greatly on
the Communist demonstrations
tomorrow. The Red Party pre-
dicted more than 100000 labor
unionists and thousands of stu
dents would join in the nation
wide strike.
Violence such as the Memorial
Day kicking and stoning of Amer
ican troops may result in the
japanese government outlawing
the Communist Party.
The strike was called in reprisal
for the speedy trial of eight Japa-
nese charged with attacking five
American soldiers Monday. 1t also
is designed to influence Sunday
elections for the upper house of
Parliament.
A United States military court,
pushing the trial along at a fast
pace, went into another night ses-
sion.
Japanese sources said the Com
munists already are making plans
to 60 underground if the govern
sInent outlaws their party. Uncon-,
firn1ed reports said district party
members are cancelling their
memberships to be listed instead
as Red "sympathizers."
Steps repeatedly are being taken
to transfer ownership of the Com
munist Party headquarters build
ing.
Attorney General Shunkichi
Ueda said the activities of the
Communist Party are only 20 per
cent above ground" He added:
II do not think that measures
for dealing with their activities
will be too complicated if the party
is outlawed."
Such warnings marked a sharp
change from the previous Japa-
nese government attitude: Let's
wait and see what other countries
do.
Gen. Macarthur, who gave the
party legality in 1945, twice in the
last year has suggested pointedly
that it no longer is entitled to
this status.
Japan's Communist Party, Gen.
Macarthur said in a May 2
speech, is IAN avowed satellite of
an international predatory force
and a japanese pawn of alien
power policy, imperialistic pur-
pose and subversive propaganda. !"
This. he said, brings into ques-
ton its right to the further bene-
fits and protection of the country
and laws it would subvert."
Staying Plot Termed Fake"
Gen. MaeArthur's intelligence
officer tonight called a reported
leftist plot to assassinate the
general IAN absolute fake"
Maj. Gen. Charles A. Willough-
by said an "excitable" japanese
policeman had informed occupa-
tion headquarters of the arrest
yesterday of a Japanese allegedly
involved in the plot.
Another American source said
an unidentified leftist group
planned to kill Gen. Macarthur
Sunday on one Of his daily trips
past downtown Hibaya Park.
Gen. Willoughby said he thought
the arrested japanese should be
sent to an asylum instead of
Jail"
Nobody is going to kill Santa
Claus" he commented.
Approval Not Obtained.
Tokyo police said the Reds had
not obtained the required 48-hour
approval in advance of their
demonstration. But one Com
munist sponsor said fatty, 1--WE
shall go ahead as we originally
planned"
Yasoji Kazahay. Communist
Diet (parliament) member, added
ANY trouble arising. in the
opinion of the Communist Party
will be the responsibility of the