Stabilisation Directive For Japan's Recovery Issued by MacArthur

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26959, 20 December 1948, Page 5

Stabilisation Directive For Japan's Recovery Issued by MacArthur

NZPA—Reuter—-Copyright

Rec. 11.50 p.m. TOKIO, Dec. 19. The Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in Japan, General MacArthur, in a letter to the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr Shigeru Yoshida, to-day told him bluntly that the relief Japan received in future from the United States would be in ratio to the progress made through the combined efforts of the Japanese people towards the achievement of fiscal, monetary, price and wage stability, and maximum production for export. “ There will be no place for interference by management or labour with the acceleration of production. There will be no place for political conflict over the objectives to be sought, nor will there be any place for 'ideological opposition, as the purpose to be served is common to all people, and any attempt to delay or frustrate its accomplishment must be curbed as menacing general welfare.”

General MacArthur indicated for the first time that rehabilitation now came before the development of democratic rights in Japan. The stabilisation directive would call for increased austerity in every phase of Japanese life and for the temporary surrender of some of the privileges and immunities inherent in free society General MacArthur said he confidently expected that all Japanese men and women would rally with vigour and determination to the challenge of the objective. “If they do, Japan will evolve a pattern of progressive stability for all strife-torn Asia to emulate.' If they do not, Japan may perish.’’ Political observers said they regarded General MacArthur’s letter to Mr Yoshida as the most forthright enunciation of American plans to build up Japan as “ the workshop of Asia.” One Allied observer said it certainly marked the end. at least temporarily, of the wave of both Governmental and private industry strikes which recently threatened to cripple Japan’s economic recovery. It also foreshadowed a drive against Communism. General MacArthur’s reference to “ ideological opposition ” made it clear that in future there could be no place in Japan for Communist' agitation.

Belcher money. “Stanley would not be so grotesquely foolish as to put not only himself but his friend Belcher completely in the hands of Belcher’s enemies,” said Mr Lloyd-Jones. He added that Stanley might have bestowed on Belcher too many obvious marks of .his friendship, but they were nothing more than marks of friendship. They were in no sense intended to influence Belcher. Mr Aitken Watson, K.C., for Belcher, said Belcher received gifts and hospitality incompatible with one of his Majesty’s Ministers, and on that indiscretion a career of great promise had crashed, but acceptance of gifts was one thing, and the receiving of them corruptly was quite another thing. “ I want to put Belcher before this tribunal as an honest man, however indiscreet,” Mr Watson said.