ABOLISH WAR AS SOVEREIGN RIGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 6 April 1946, Page 5

ABOLISH WAR AS SOVEREIGN RIGHT

MACARTIIUR'S SUGGESTION TO ' THE NATIONS Received Friday 10.20 p.m. TOKIO, April 5. General MacArthur, in a speech at the initial session of the Four-Power Council suggested that all natiQns shouid ' ' abqlish war as a sovereign right. ' ' Recqmmendingithe suggestion to all thoughtful peoples of the world, .he said: "It points the way and the o.nly way. United Nations is admirable as to its purpose, hut can survive to achieve that purpose only if it acconiplishes as to all nations just whai Japan proposes unilaterally to accomplish through this constitution — to aholish war as a sovereign rigbt. Sqch a renunciation must he simultaneous and universal. It must he all or none. It must he effected by open, undisguiseu action which invites the confidence of al. men who would serve the cause 01 peace. ' The present instrumentality to enforce its will — the pooled arznea ' might of its component nations — can at be'st be a temporary expedient so long as -nations still recognise as co-existent the sqvefeign right" .to beiligerenzy. " General MacArthur lashed out at ' ' tbose throughout the Allied v/orld who lift their voices in sharp, ill-conceived cricicism of occupational policies, " anu said they included some who opposed the guiding principles adopted at Potsdam and )vho were now unwilling to join in the full unity of piirpose aua sougbt to foment dissatis.faction m otbers, so that such principles could be reshaped ,tp their will. General MacArthur prged delegates to suppdrt his pufpqse of imple.nenting the Potsdqm policy to eliiiiinate ipisconcqptions which sowed the seeds 01 diqunity and served the cause pf fauure. He added that the purposes of the oqcupation w'ere now Well advanced, and the Japanese war machine had oeen neutralised. While pledging full cooperation witn the Council, General MacArthur made clear that. its fupctipns would he aavisory a,nd qpnsuitatiye. He said it would not div'ide the heavy administrative ^psponsihili'ty of the Suprqme Commander as the sole executive authority for the Allied Powers in Japan. ( All Council meetings shouid he open to the Press and tbe puhlip. Tbtougfi such practice of pure democracy in the discharge of its responsibilities, the world" Would' know that the Council deliberat;ons led .to no secret devices, iipdeitakifi.gs and cobipiitments, and it would ikus' avoi'jl tbe suspiciori, distrust and haired sp (tften engen^ered by the veil pf jeqrgcy."'' The ^eipgat^e, -Lient.-Ggner.al all ' mbe.tmgs, Inh b\s H*1 ,shel.y^d ^ a cpmpi:pmisp plan by the Ameriqan blajpr-General' V^ililaib Murquat tbat'bil mfjpr meetings ^ould he oijbn, wbi^p .imb^'eigl meetings fpr fact-fifi(ln\g tep^ibiqal reports, y?p*ihd be undeFsucb qppkpls as'I.be"qpupq'ir members deeiried fit. Russia furtber proposed .tbat the memb.ers of tbe Council ' shopib* be permifted to sqe General ^CacArth^r'f 5ireq.tiyes spven .days .befpre " is.suanqe, and that ri_ew 'e|eptipns shouid be 'hpld in the ev.e'nt'pf a' malpr^ty pf '.the bepu-" ties whP yon piet setAts prpying ' ' unsuitahTe. ' '