U.S. REBUKES SOVIET

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21961, 4 March 1946, Page 3

U.S. REBUKES SOVIET

PLANTSJSEIZED BOOTY IN MANCHURIA UNAUTHORISED ACTS (9 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 3. The State Department issued a statement asserting that the United States has no agreement, secret or otherwise, with the Soviet Government regarding war booty from Manchuria. “This Government does not accept any interpretation of war booty to include industrial enterprises and components of them such as Japanese industrial equipment in Manchuria,” said the State Department. “Some time ago we informed the Soviet Government that the disposal of Japanese externa! assets, such as industries in Manchuria, was a matter of common interest and concern to the Allies who bore the major burden of defeating Japan, and it would be most inappropriate at this time to make a final disposition of Japanese external assets in Manchuria, either by the removal of industrial assets as war booty or by agreement between the Chinese and Soviet Governments for the control of flmse assets.

“This Government recently initiated discussions with the other Governments principally concerned with reparations from Japan with respect to the final disposition of Japanese external assels.” The Associated Press points out that tlie statement is tantamount to a rebuke to Russia inasmuch as the Soviet commander at Mukden 'his week declared that machinery had been removed in accordance with the Big Three agreement.