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Show WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS Old Glory Flies Over Japan; Seek Replacements for Army; Europe Asks Reconstruction Aid 1 i Released by Western Newspaper Union. i (EDITOR'S NOTE: When opinions are expressed In these columns, they are those of I Western Newspaper Union's news analysis and not necessarily of this newspaper.) i J&i i. , a-- - s ' . 1 J- 4 t ' y' V h"vc V 7 1 i $ c f 1 JAPAN: U. S. Lands Spruced up in full dress uniforms with clanking samurai swords and beribboned blouses, Japanese generals gen-erals were on hand to greet the first contingent of American airborne troops descending on Atsugi airfield southwest of Tokyo to prepare the ground for the mass landings headed head-ed by Supreme Commander Mac-Arthur. Mac-Arthur. Almost simultaneously, Admiral Halsey's mighty 3rd fleet sailed .into Tokyo bay, with the 45,000-ton superbattleship Missouri leading the parade and closely followed by the U. S. dreadnaughts Iowa and South Dakota and the British flagship Duke of York. Preparatory to the general occupation occu-pation of the defeated nation and the formal signing of surrender terms aboard the Missouri in Tokyo bay the preliminary operations ran so smoothly that an American naval commander described the event in picturesque U. S. language. Said he: "No runs, no hits, no errors." er-rors." Despite evidences of Japanese good faith, General MacArthur's forces took no chances in carrying out the initial operations. While Halsey ploughed into Tokyo bay, scores of aircraft hovered overhead and all hands were in battle dress. Though white flags fluttered from dismantled 116-caliber coastal guns guarding the entrance into Tokyo bay, U. S. forces were put ashore to check on the disarmament. Surrender ceremonies aboard the Missouri promised to be packed with drama, with Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright, rescued res-cued three years after giving up at Corregidor during the early enemy sweep in 1942, attending to witness the capitulation of the once cocky imperial staff. While MacArthur was to accept the surrender for the Allies as a whole, Admiral Nimitz was to counter-sign for the U. S. Though coming in as conquerors, U. S. occupation forces will be used in a supervisory rather than executive exec-utive capacity, with General MacArthur's MacAr-thur's orders transmitted from the emperor down through the national and local governments. At all times, the U. S. military organization or-ganization will be on the watch to prevent the subversion of MacArthur's MacAr-thur's dictates, while also exerting control to avert the reascendance of the Japanese army clique to its former for-mer position of power. Along with public services and utilities, banks, schools, newspapers and radio stations sta-tions may be permitted to operate, with all channels of communication under the strict eye of censorship. Under terms of the occupation, Japan will be responsible for supplying sup-plying the U. S. forces food and housing. Though the country's agricultural agri-cultural regions were reported virtually vir-tually untouched by the war, many of the important industrial centers have been gutted by Allied bombs, and the government has undertaken to speed up reconstruction to restore re-store essential services. DEMOBILIZATION: Replacements Sought In the face of reports that the army planned to retain 2,500,000 men for occupation, garrison and regular duties, Pres. Harry S. Truman Tru-man called upon congress to extend the draft of 18 to 25-:ear-olds for two years to release present soldiers from lengthy overseas service. In asking for a retention of the draft for younger men, Mr. Truman said that it did not appear as though While army trucks loaded with tons of powdered milk, flour and potatoes stream into hungry Berlin, Ber-lin, German women express joy at being able to obtain white bread for first time since the end of the war In former bomb-shattered Reich capital. the army could raise enough volunteers volun-teers to meet future needs. In an effort to boost recruiting, however, the President recommended that congress furnish 'inducements, presumably pre-sumably bonuses, for volunteers. While army plans called for discharge dis-charge of 6,000,000 men, the navy speeded up its demobilization program pro-gram by preparing for the release of 2,839,000 men and 300,000 officers within the next year. Previously, the navy had planned to let out between 1,500,000 and 2,500,000 men within 12 to 18 months. To accomplish its objective, the navy will revise its point discharge system to credit overseas service. U. S. CREDITS: Burning Question Furor caused abroad by the termination termi-nation of the huge 41-billion-dollar lend-lease program has posed the question ques-tion of postwar aid to friendly nations for the reconstruction reconstruc-tion and rehabilitation rehabilita-tion of war-battered economies. In the U. S. for conferences with President Truman in Washington, D. C, 6 foot 6 inch Gen. De Gaulle Gen. Charles de Gaulle has pointed up the European view that American Ameri-can assistance is vital to the restoration restora-tion of the continent. Said the lank, brusque liberation leader: "I want to be frank with you right to the end. Frenchmen are relying upon you Americans. It is not that we are asking for gifts; but it is true we are asking for your help. . . ." In addressing President Truman, De Gaulle knew what he wanted: (1) The re-distribution of German productive facilities in western Europe Eu-rope (2) supplies of raw materials and agricultural and industrial equipment to enable France to speedily rebuild its economy for home and export purposes. With U. S. aid already proffered, De Gaulle said, France has taken a long step toward reconstruction of its war devastated economy. Today, To-day, once broken ports are able to handle 1,500,000 tons per month; 2,500 of 4,000 bridges have been repaired; re-paired; 7,000 of 18,000 locomotives are running, and coal mines are operating op-erating at three-fourths of capacity. While De Gaulle already was on the spot to discuss future U. S. aid, the. British, recovering from their expressed surprise at termination of lend-lease, were prepared to send Ambassador Halifax back to this country to talk over continued assistance. as-sistance. To an exporting nation like Britain, Brit-ain, U. S. aid is vital since the British Brit-ish asset position was greatly reduced re-duced during the war by purchases abroad, and the need for imports during the reconstruction period must be somewhat balanced by foreign for-eign sales if the country is not to go too deeply into the hole. Though terminating lend - lease, the U. S. offered to advance upwards up-wards of 6 Million dollars in credits to friendly nations to help enable them to purchase cancelled lend-lease lend-lease inventories or other goods. Credits also could be used to procure pro-cure American materials remaining on foreign soil. Much of the American financing of Allied governments will be accomplished accom-plished through the 3 billion dollar Export-Import bank, whose assets recently were increased to allow for interim help until the 10 billion dollar dol-lar Bretton Woods bank of reconstruction recon-struction and rehabilitation begins operations in mid-1946 or later. Gas Levies Mount Upswing in gross collections from motor fuel and gasoline taxes levied by the states since March of this year indicates that total collections may be higher this year than in 1943 and 1944. The gross collections from motor fuel and gasoline taxes, levied by 48 states during 1944, amounted to S747.3S8.000. or 38.6 per cent of the $1,936,517,000 collected by all the states from the major excise taxes-. RECONVERSION: Goods on Way Despite shortages of rubber, textile tex-tile and tin. the automobile indus- I try expects to produce 500,000 cars ; during the rest of this year as a re- suit of the government's removal of all controls over output. With production due to soar, all rationing of vehicles may be re- I scinded after monthly manufacture ! reaches 100,000. Notwithstanding the recent wave of rumors, prices are expected to closely parallel those of 1942 under OPA regulations, which are designed to include increased wage and material costs in the gen-al gen-al 10 to 19 per cent price boosts manufacturers made in 1942. Along the whole reconversion front, there were signs of an increasing supply of merchandise as the government gov-ernment removed most bars to civilian civ-ilian production. Knives and scissors will be in abundance soon with vacuum cleaners clean-ers fairly plentiful by January 1. Refrigerators, Re-frigerators, percolators, mixers and electric ranges will become available avail-able this fall and in fair supply by 1946. Because of the removal of restrictions restric-tions on the manufacture of a large variety of converted paper and pa-perboard pa-perboard products, facial tissues, paper towels, wax paper and toilet paper are due to hit the market in greater quantities soon. In lifting controls on nylon, silk and rayon, the government assured the early stocking of hosiery counters. Forecast Tax Cut . Individuals and corporations alike can look forward to reduced re-duced income taxes in the early postwar period though rates will continue high to defray an annual annu-al 26 billion dollar budget. Spokesmen for both parties predicted substantial cuts in future fu-ture levies, with Rep. Knutson (Rep., Minn.) forecasting a 20 per cent slash in individual liabilities; lia-bilities; elimination of the excess ex-cess profits tax on corporations, and other relief for businesses to ease reconversion readjustments. readjust-ments. At 26 billion dollars, the early peacetime budget would compare com-pare with 9 billion dollars in prewar pre-war 1940. While 8 billion dollars would be expended for ordinary government costs, 6 billion dollars dol-lars each would be paid out for interest on the national debt, veterans' benefits and national defense. CHINA: Russ Pact Russian recognition of the sovereignty sover-eignty of the Chinese government of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek on the one hand, and China's acknowledgment acknowl-edgment of vital Russian interests in the far east on the other, marked the give-and-take bound up in the 30 year friendship treaty between the two countries. Under the terms of the pact concluded con-cluded after lengthy negotiations in which the U. S. figured astacking up the regime of Chiang Kai-shek, the Russians agreed to turn over Manchuria to China; refrain from interference in the country's internal inter-nal politics; and back the Generalissimo's Generalis-simo's government. In return, the Chinese agreed to joint operation with the Russians of the northern and eastern Man-churian Man-churian railroads, giving the Reds access to the newly-established free port of Dairen on the Yellow sea and Vladivostok in Siberia. Terms also called for China's sharing of the Manchurian harbor of Port Arthur with Russia as a military and naval base. EUROPE: Speedy Reparations Equipment and goods running into the millions of dollars were stripped from American-controlled establishments establish-ments in the Berlin area by the Russians prior to the entrance of U. S. troops. Taken into custody by the American Military government, the properties are to be returned to their owners. With the Russian requisitions considered con-sidered as part of their exaction of reparations from eastern Germany in conformity with the Potsdam agreements, it was reported that the Reds took over most of the cash, spare parts and supplies of the Ford Werke A. G. (Ford Motor Company) Com-pany) ; all equipment of Ferdinand Schuchart (International Telephone and Telegraph), and all razor blades from Roth-Buchner (Gillette Safety Razor company). Practically all stocks were reported report-ed removed from thr&e stores of F. W. Woolworth; most equipment from George von Giesche Erben (51 per' cent owned by the Anaconda Copper company), and about one-third one-third of the machinery from Deutsche Hollerith Maschinen (90 per cent controlled by the International Interna-tional Business Machines company). FOR SALE: Two hundred fifty-two government-owned plants, built at an estimated es-timated cost of Hi billion dollars, 1 will shortly be available for disposal through the Reconstruction Finance corporation. Consisting of 220 establishments serving the service forces and 32 producing for the air forces, the types of plants include aircraft, tanks, explosives, artillery and small arms, chemicals, steel, radic and radar, shipbuilding and ammu- j nition. |