M’ARTHUR DEPICTS
THREAT TO JAPAN
Believes Nation Should Have Maximum Defence Power if Such a Situation Develops
Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17――Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Allied Commander in Japan, believes that Japan should be allowed the maximum defense power, should she be threatened with attack. His views were contained in a letter to Harold Russell, commander of the American Veterans of World War II.
Mr.Russell had written General MacArthur and John J. McCloy, United States High Commissioner for Germany, for their respective views on the rearming of Japan and Germany and other questions relative to the occupation of those countries.
With the national convention of the veterans’ organization approaching soon, Mr. Russell sought these views for the guidance of his organization and the stand it might take on such problems. He has not heard from Mr. McCloy.
An extract from General MacArthur’s letter follows:
“Only a seer could answer the question you pose concerning the rearming of Japan, for the answer truely lies in the yet unpredictable future. Should the course of world events require that all mankind stand to arms in defense of human liberty and Japan come within the orbit of immediately threatened attack, then the Japanese, too, should mount the maximum defensive power which their resources will permit.
“Pending a peace treaty, however, Japan remains under the policy control of the Allied powers among whom there is much more apprehension over the prospect of a rearmed and remilitarized Japan than that an unarmed Japan may fall prey to predatory forces bent upon freedom’s destruction.
“The same rationalization is to be found even among the great masses of the Japanese people themselves who fear even more than external attack the resurgence of militarism within and the return of police suppression. Consequently, grave political as well as social and economic considerations must be faced in the light of the world situation then existing before your question may be answered with any degree of realism.
“The question at this time is therefore somewhat academic. The great immediate purpose Japan can serve in the confusion which overrides all of strife-torn Asia is to stand out with striking and unruffled calmness and tranquility as the exemplification of peaceful progress under conditions of unalloyed personal freedom.
“For thereby it will stand as a symbol of hope for less fortunate Asian peoples, wielding a profound moral influence upon the destiny of the Asian races.
“To strengthen Japan’s internal security, I have already taken measures to creat a 75,000-man national police reserve and shall augment this force further should the need arise. The purpose of this reserve, as the name implies, is to support with such additional power as is necessary the local police unit in any internal disorder with which it is unable to to cope.”
