EMPEROR PREVAILED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 235, 3 September 1945, Page 5

EMPEROR PREVAILED

DIFFERENCES^IN CABINET. NEW YORK, Sept. 2. How the Emperor made liis final peace decision was told to the New York Times representative in Tokio by one of a handful of well-informed persons. Cabinet, after the Potsdam Declaration, met several times a day. There were sharp differences of opinion about continuing the war, with the War Alinister (General Anami) expressing the military caste’s desire to fight on. The army believed that tho Allies could be defeated on the shores of Japan, especially as military forces, previously idle, coukl be employed. Finally, the dispute was brought to the Emperor, who called a joint meeting of Cabinet, plus the so-called new Elder Statesmen, including recent Prime Ministers such as Prince Konove and To.io, and also tho Supreme War Council. Anami argued that once Japan was invaded, the atomic bomb could not he further used, but, after hearing everyone, the Emperor ruled for surrender and Anami thereupon committed hara-kiri. Then the Emperor blocked further army opposition by appointing :i blood relative, Prince Higaslii-Kuni, as Prime Alinister, which meant that the army could not offend the Emperor and upset the Government by putting the War Alinister on tho retired list. -Tlie present Government, therefore, is the first for a long time which the army does not control.The informant added that tlie Japanese Generals and Admirals lied to each other throughout the war, each afraid to accept responsibility for defeats. He expressed the opinion that it was not until after Okinawa that informed persons felt that the war was lost. The Japanese appeared unco-opera-tive toward the Germans throughout the war and “missed no chance to do the Germans dirt when their backs were turned.” When the armies were sweeping through Malaya and the Philippines southward, most of the Japanese were arrogant, but the lower class was not too bad. Neither was the Royal clique, which was proud of its English connections. The official class was “insufferably overbearing.” The people resented sending food abroad. They were told that each conquest would bring new riches, but these did not materialise. Newcomers note the people’s enormous industry. The tremendous bomb damage is already cleaned up. Tiny houses are swiftly built. There are none of the shattered, useless walls marking Manila. Everything, including thought, is so obviously geared for war that it is at the moment difficult to imagine anything for Japan other than of the military system. The only immediate hope seems to be to put the people’s industry to constructive uses. At present, this guidance seems obtainable only from the Throne. The Prime Alinister (Prince HigasliiKuni) will inform Japan next week that the death toll from bombs was 450,000, or nearly double tho figures previously announced, says the Associated Press. Prince Higashi-Kuni told a Japanese Press conference yesterday that his speech will he prompted hy the necessity of explaining the collapse of Japan’s fighting spirit which caused the defeat. Authoritative sources said that 95,000 of the total population of 250,000 died at Hiroshima, with further deaths occurring daily as a result of the effects of the atomic bomb.