SUSPICION AND DISTRUST

Evening Star, Issue 25618, 19 October 1945, Page 5

SUSPICION AND DISTRUST

RUSSIA'S ATTITUDE IN FAR EAST AMERICAN AUTHORITIES TROUBLED (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) LONDON, October 18. Russia’s attitude in the Far East is souring the American occupation authorities and troubling American troops and airmen, says, Mr Lachie Macdonald, a New Zealand journalist who is now representing the ‘ Daily Mail ’ in Tokio. He states that one American senior officer described the Russian policy in Japan and Korea as “ slightly belligerent non-co-operation.” He continues: “ The time is coming when the leaders of the United Nations must do some plain talking on Far East policies, otherwise conditions might well reach a stage where some local incident could cause irreparable damage. (Both the Americans and the Russians, now meeting each other for the first time in this part of the world, are cocky. The Americans have just won a series of great victories in the Pacific, and the 'Russians, particularly the younger ones, are just as pleased with themselves smd the Soviet’s string of successes in Europe and Asia. “ It may be difficult for people at home in Britain, sick of strife and strutting, to appreciate that here and in Korea it is almost as though swaggering but suspicious 'Russians and Americans, who are old in battle lore but juvenile in their understanding of international politics, are sizing each other up like a couple of potential fist fighters. Among even senior officers attached to General MacArthur’s headquarters there is a current joke that Japan is our staging base for the next big operation. Unfortunately, the Russians are deepening American distrust by what undoubtedly is non-co-operation.” Mr Macdonald also says: “ American staff officers in Tokio naturally enough deny any friction with the Russian liaison officers or members of the Russian Military Mission, but frequently some of them wisecrack about heated and brutallyfrank exchanges taking place at conferences between the Russians and the Americans. All the uneasiness which at present prevails among Allied observers here possibly would not matter but for the fact that (Russia is reported to be sending a token division to join in the occupation of Japan. Distrust and suspicion could lead to difficulties among the Allies, and divided policies could cause trouble with the Japanese just as they are doing with the Koreans. “ Russian officers here , will not even comment on the weather! They are mixing more freely than when they first arrived, but they never talk about anything that matters. They appear among rank and file Americans only at meal, times or when the bar opens. Yet observers here have a direct impression that the Russians strongly object to the pattern of occupation of Japan, with which General MacArthur and his staff are so proud. Nor are the Russians any more satisfied with the scheme of things in Southern Korea, which the Americans are democratising. One thing is certain: Suspicion and distrust are hampering coordination of the Allied efforts in the Far East.