JAPANESE TO GO

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21816, 12 September 1945, Page 5

JAPANESE TO GO

REGIME JN KOREA MACARTHUR’S ORDER RETENTION CRITICISED (11 a.m.) TOKIO, Sept. 11. General MacArthur has ordered the commander, Lieutenant-General John Hodge, to replace all Japanese in governmental positions as soon as it is possible, consistent with the safety of onerations. The State Department disclaimed any part or advance knowledge of military orders retaining the Japanese administration in Korea. The Herald-Tribune’s correspondent in Washington says high War and Navy Department officials are astounded at the decision to retain Japanese administrators in Korea and claimed it is a direct contravention of the Cairo declaration promMng a “free and independent Korea.”

The present explosive Korean situation is regarded as a serious political birr tier which may have damaging resells upon Amer'-an prestige among the Asiat’cs.

A diplomatic observer pointed out t’-'t the r?n ! dly increasing number of cv — l "oers Japanese atrociVcs n’’:ed how it could he deemed r.-o'e-pble to keep Japanese officials in instead of Koreans. Protests fa State Department

Amarican-Korean organisations have sent sharply-worded protests to Wash‘ngten. The Korean American Council' accused the State Department of being ‘‘a party to the degradation of Ko-ears when it supports the division of Korea, half to be under Communistic authorities and the remaining half to be ac’m : n ; r + ered by the cruel and barJapanese.”

The Asooc'ated Press’ correspondent at Seoul, Korea, comparing the American occupation of Korea with the Rusr:nn eceimntion of Manchuria, writes: "‘The Americans have a half apologetic attitude towards the civilian population which never occurs to the Russians, who are grimly efficient. The Russians, in the matter of transport, simply take everything on wheels, making no attempt to distinguish between Japanese, Chinese or Europeans. “It is a different story here where the Americans explain the lack of transport by saving that they are unable to obtain sufficient vehicles.

“Furthermore, anyone who has seen the Russians* disarming the Japanese must bl ! nk with unbelief at the American methods. The Russians at Dairen herded Ihe Japanese to the airport and disarmed them down to pocket knives and, within a few hours, whisked them to prison.

“The Japanese soldier here would never know he was defeated so far as the Americans were concerned.”