Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-16
Foreign Policy
IsInvoIved
By EARL H. voss


Girard, but the effect of his case on
United States foreign policy in the
Far East turns on a less precise
factor public opinion i'm this
country, in Japan, and in the rest
of the Orient.
State Department officials are
worried about four broad aspects
Of the case:
/. 1t may revive wartime anti
Japanese sentiment in this country.
2. Americans rallying to young
Girard's side CHS brother told him
he is a hero" in this country may
give Japan the impression the
United States is callous about the
murder of Orientals. Specialist
Girard is charged with killing q
Japanese woman
3. Timing of the second Ameri.
can decision that Specialist Girard
should be tried by Japanese court
is unfortunate. It follows closely
the sacking of the United States
Embassy in Taipei by irate Chinese
who protested the freeing of an
American sergeant by a United
States court martial after he was
charged with murder. The Girard
decision may be taken as United
States appeasement.
4. The United States temporary
withdrawal of its March decision
to turn Girard over to a japanese
court may have shaken the con-
f1dence Of Japan and other Orien-
tai nations in American pledges.
The 0fficioI Version
United States authorities in
Japan went thoroughly into the case
after it happened. They heard many
witnesses to the incident in which
the Japanese woman died, including
Specialist Girard and his COM
handing officers Here. briefly. is
the story, according to Government
sources:
Two soldiers. young Girard and
Specialist &c Victor Nickel. were
stationed on guard at the firing line
OF a firing range at Somagahara
during an intermission in target
practice last January 30.
AS usual during such rest per-
iods. Japanese were allowed to come
into the area to pick up empty
brass shell cases. It was the Job
Of Specialists Girard and Nickel to
keep the Japanese scavengers away
from the firing line.
Witnesses testimony differs on
whether it was Girard or Nickel
or both who rolled empty shell
cases down the hill from the firing
line to get the Japanese to come
near. But witness reports agree that
Mrs. Sakai and her husband were
lured to come close.
There is one report that Specia.
list Girard shouted to Mrs. Sakai:
"Mamasan. daijobu," meaning,
Mama, it's okay."
Mr.. and Mrs. Sakai got to about
20 feet from Specialist Girard and
Nickel when the two soldiers
started whooping and yelling. The
japanese pair was frightened and
started to run away.
Specialist Girard fired a first
empty shell case out of his grenade
launcher in the general direction
OF Mr.. Saki. but did not hit him.
His second shot hit Mrs. Saki in
the fiat of the back at short range.
Testimony varies on how far away
Mrs Saki was when she was hit.
Some say 20 feet. Others say 80
yards. But projectiles such at Spe-
cialist Girard used have a good
carrying capacity up to about 100
yards.
The shell case penetrated three
inches into Mrs. Saki's back and
severed an artery.
Joint Investigation
After thorough investigation be-
fore the United States-Japan Joint
Committee. the American side de.
cided Specialist Girard should be
turned over to the Japanese court.
in Maebashi district for trial. Ap-
proval for this position was given
BY the Department of Defense.
Then the first storm broke in this
country. Washington decided to
reconsider. Specialist Girard's trans
fer to Japanese custody was de-
layed. japanese authorities asked
Ambassador Dougas Macarthur II il
this meant the United States would
change its decisions every time
there was political hassle at home.
After careful study In Washing
ton. in which the State Department
took the position that the United
States was obliged to follow its first
decision, whether it was good or
bad. it was agreed to stick by that
decision.
Court action. here could yet re.
verse the administration stand.
The Japanese Foreign Office is
worried about the effect of the case
on the island empires relations with
the United States. 1t is likely to
make Prime Minister Nobusuke
Kishi's visit here this week much
less pleasant than anticipated.
Japanese newspapers already are
complaining that American troops
lack respect for the rights of Japan.
csc individuals. These are express
sions of what Secretary of State
John Foster Dulles referred to re-
Gently as "the inevitable tensions
which arise when large numbers of
forces-troops particularly of for
eign country-are quartered on
foreign soil. :"
He added that this is a VERY
delicate and explosive issue and it
has been under study for some
little time to see whether those
risks could be mitigated."
Privately. Washington officials be-
lieve that Specialist Girard would
be better off being tried by the
Japanese than by an American
court-martial. In the past, United
States soldiers tried by the Japan
ese have received comparatively
Hoht cantanCae