A FREE WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 25564, 17 August 1945, Page 2

A FREE WORLD

WASHINGTON, August 14. President Truman made the historic announcement of Japan's surrender to a large crowd of reporters who have been virtually living at- the White House for days in anticipation of such developments. v When the thousands of spectators who had waited patiently in Lafayette Park, across the street from the White House, began to chant, "We want Truman," the* President appeared on the steps with Mrs Truman. Surrounded by . secret service men, they walked across to the high iron fence fronting Pennsylvania Avenue. There the President waved and smiled to the crowd, which continued its wild cheering. The T.rumans theri returned to the White House porch, where the President sipoke through a hastily-set-up microphone. He said, " This is the great day f we have, been looking for since' December 7, 1941. This is the day when Fascism ceases in the world. > ,Thi^ ? jsi,the,day for the .democracies. ..-■ This is the day wherKwe can start oh our real task of implementing free government in the world. We

are faced with the greatest task we ■ have ever faced. The emergency is as great as it was in December, 1941. It is going to take the help of all of you to do it; I know we are. going to do it." The Secretary of State, Mr J. R. Byrnes, worked out the surrender agreement with Britain, Rus-" sia, and China in a world-wide telephone call which he made from the, - Pentagon Building late this ~ afternoon. Mr Byrnes talked, with.'•'' officials' in London, Moscow, and Chungking. He assured them that he considered the Japanese Note a , complete acceptance of the Potsdam ultimatum, and they agreed. ' : The Associated Press says the Japanese surrender came on the fourth anniversary of the signing of the Atlantic Charter. General MacArthur said/: " I thank merciful God that this mighty struggle is ended. I shall at once stop hostilities: and- further bloodshed. The.magnifieent; men and -women;, who foujjhs- - so! well will soon return home. they, have been good soldiers in war; may, they be equally good citizens in peace."