SOVIET ESPIONAGE IN JAPAN

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25734, 21 February 1949, Page 7

SOVIET ESPIONAGE IN JAPAN

U.S. Report “Open To Question ’’ ADMISSION MADE IN WASHINGTON , (N’.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Feb. 19. Colonel George Eyster. deputy-chief of the United States Army’s public relations division, admitted to-day that the style in which the division's recent report on lhe Soviet’s war-time espionage in Japan was written, was open to question. He said that his division had no proof to support the charge made in the report that Miss Agnes Smedley, an American writer on Far East affairs, was a Russian spy. Moreover, the “philosophical observations’’ of the report, including its warning to Americans to beware of similar espionage activities in their own country, were out of place in a factual official account, said Colonel Eyster. If such expressions of opinion were to be left in the public version of the report, a statement should have been attached to it. explaining that it was merely a paper prepareo on the basis of information developed by the Japanese authorities. NJiss Smedley has heatedly denied the allegations against her. and several newspapers have criticised the Army for issuing the report, contending that it was lurid in style, insufficiently documented, and calculated to arouse suspicion and fear. Trie report was prepared by the intelligence section of General MacArthur's headquarters, and when it was issued for publication last week, refiorters were told that the Army beieved it would be of interest to the public. Colonel Eyster admitted to-day thali the report should have been carefullv considered in the light of its oossibla effect on the public and on the per-* sons mentioned in it who werfc still living.