U.S.-Soviet Clash Over Jap Cabinet

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1948, Page 5

U.S.-Soviet Clash Over Jap Cabinet

Received AVednesday, 9.40 p.m. TukiO, Alur. 2. The -Allied Council ,ror Japan today rctused' to hear • hoviet • acctisations or ultranatioiialisin and. proinilitalism against' the Prime Atinister designate, liitoslii Ashida, and four : otli-er memt'ers of tlie pi-evious Katayama-tOabinet who a rT likely to participate in , tlie Cabinet now being ■'formed. in the diitterest Hoviet-Ame'rican clash iil inany mo'nths, :Miaj6r-Cfdm»ral 'Kisleiiko declared. that' the righfs of Council ineiniierb were -being vi'olated and that he 'conld / iiiteVpi-et the _ i;e- ; marks of the Am-erican cli'airman,' ' All-. Eebald, ouly as forbidding him to' ex[iress his views.

Oeneral Kislenko, who began the discus.sion with a review of previous Japanese post-war Cabinets, . said Ashida for seven years. before .1940, was president of the Japan Times, "one of tlie most notorious media for spretuliug Jappnese propaganda. " A'lr. >Sebald: •" l should like to interrupt. I think the Soviet member is entirolv out of order. There is a board set up to investigate sueh cliargcs. If (xeneral Kislenko has any information to give he may give it there. The Council is not the proper place." Ceneral Kislenko said he did not intend to deal with anv board but only. the Allied Council. .in Alr. Eebald's remark he saw ah attempt grosslv to violate the rights of members of tlie Council. Alr. Sebald said the diseussion in Council on the Cabinet fonnation amounted to interf-erence im that the ■lapanese might lre strorigly influeneed liy what was said. General Kislenko replied that he was not attempting to. appoint any member of the Jaiianese (rovernmeiit, but as a. Council member he had the right t c>: make recommendationis and- -give his views on one of tlie most iinportant espects of the democratisation of •Hqian. Arr. TTarold Sliaw (Britain) said the Council was not the proper place to consider a purge but it was to the Council \s interest to see that the •lapanese (fovernment had the eapacitv io earrv out the terrns of surrendel', requirenieiits of oceupation and progress of democratisation. « AA hen General Kislenko attempted to continue his statement, Arr. Rebald/told him the Council was not interested in personalities and declared the meeting adjourned.