740.00119 FEAC/4–1146
Memorandum by the State Department Member of the
State–War–Navy Coordinating Committee (Hilldring) to the Committee
[Washington, April 12, 1946.]
Communication From Chairman of Far
Eastern Commission for Transmittal to the Supreme Commander for the
Allied Powers
The Far Eastern Commission, acting under paragraph VI–1 of its Terms of
Reference, which provides that the Commission “may make such
arrangements through the chairman as may be practicable for consultation
with the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers”, requested its
chairman on 10 April 1946 to consult with the Supreme Commander for the
Allied Powers on the matter contained in the enclosure. The chairman of
the Commission has requested the Secretary of State to have the
information in the attached enclosure transmitted to the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers for his information, guidance and
possible comment. It will be noted that no reference has been made in
the enclosure to the chairman’s request that the message be transmitted
for the Supreme Commander’s “guidance” as the use of this word might
indicate that the message is intended as a directive rather than as a
consultative message from the chairman.
It is requested that the attached enclosure be forwarded to the Joint
Chiefs of Staff for transmission to the Supreme Commander for the Allied
Powers.
[Annex]
Far Eastern Commission Communication for General
of the Army Douglas MacArthur
[Washington, April 10, 1946.]
The Far Eastern Commission has requested its chairman to consult with
the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers with a view to bringing
to his attention its belief that it will be assisted in its task of
formulating policy if arrangements could be made whereby at all [Page 195] stages the Commission will
be fully acquainted with the progress already made by the Supreme
Commander for the Allied Powers in achieving the objectives of the
occupation in the several fields of administration, and with the
work which remains to be done and the problems to be met in each
field, and if the Commission could be given timely information in
general of the plans of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers
for future action in each section of his Headquarters, with the
considerations affecting the relative urgency with which the various
matters should be attended to, and with the trend of events in Japan
in so far as this affects policies now being formulated.
The Far Eastern Commission expressed the belief that it will also be
to the mutual advantage of the Supreme Commander for the Allied
Powers and the Commission if the Supreme Commander is kept informed
of the progress of the work carried on by the Commission and its
several Committees.
The chairman of the Commission desires that the above be transmitted
to the Supreme Commander for his information and possible comment.
The chairman of the Commission also desires to inform the Supreme
Commander that the Secretariat of the Commission is now in
consultation with the War Department with a view to making the most
suitable arrangements for keeping the Supreme Commander informed of
the progress of the work of the Commission and its several
Committees.
