Evening star., 1951-04-11


!. Third and most important, the
occasion: a classic instance came
on March 20. 1916. He had as
sisted the Japanese to write 9
new draft constitution which hi
was putting to the people in the
first general election held since
the occupation. The FEC thought
that he was being somewhat
|hasty, that reactionary parties ir
Japan might derive advantage
from the situation. With extreme
Idiffidence the FEC outlined Its
point of view and asked two
Questions:
/. Does the Supreme Com.
mander share the apprehensions
expressed above?
Gen. MacArthur's answer was 9
single word. No.
2. If SO, would the Supreme
Commander consider it possible
|. :. to require =. a postponement
|of the Japanese elections?
Again the generals answer was
just one word, No.
Ignores Allied Council.
Another body aside from the
FEC was set up by the Moscow
Conference; this, known as the
Allied Council, meets in Tokyo
1t has four members: The United
States, the Soviet Union, China
and one representing jointly the
United Kingdom. Australia, New
Zealand. and India. Its function
as originally designed. was to con-
suit and advise with soap on the
spot, in reference to decisions
made by the FEC: Gen. MacAr-
thur was supposed to call it into
consultation on any important
matter. OF course he never
did SO. He addressed the first
meeting as the American member,
saying in effect that he was happy
to have the Councils advice, but
would retain his power as sole
executive, and never attended
another session.
When the great directive OF
August %, 1945, was drawn up in
Washington. Gen. Macarthur was
intimately consulted. Emissaries
even flew out to Manila bearing
drafts for his scrutiny before Mr..
Truman signed it. But in the ne
gotiations preceding the Moscow
and the formation Of the
FEC and Allied Council, Gen.
Macarthur was not consulted at
all.
He informed Secretary Byrnes
some six weeks before the Moscow
meeting that the proposed plan
for administering Japan through
a four-nation Council was, in his
opinion, mot acceptable" There
after Mr.. BryneS ceased all COM
with him, and his
spokesman announced tartly later,
Gen. Macarthur never received
any information from the Moscow
Conference during the meeting
and did not even know that Japan
was being discussed until he saw
it announced in the daily press. I"
This cannot be strictly true; every
body knew that the main. purpose
of the Moscow Conference was to
discuss Japan. Gen. MacArthur's
comments were so sharp that
serious observers discussed
whether or not he would resign
as Supreme Commander. But he
did not resign. He concealed his
bitterness and anger, and said
simply, II am here to serve and
not to hinder or obstruct the
Government. It is my
full purpose to see the whole mat
ter through" OF course he did
not want the Russians to be al
lowed inside his administration in
any way and he had been alarmed
that the Americans in Moscow
might give too much away.
The Russians, on their side, used
the Council as sounding board
for a time, but have boycotted
it for the past six months.
Tomorrow: Macarthur blasts
Russians. Aspects OF the
Macarthur characterJ
tFrom the book THE RIDDLE OF MAC
ARTHUR. published by Harper g. Bros }
Copyright 1950-51 by John Gunther.