Just Being Helpful

Some U.S. correspondents in Tokyo who got there before the Army found themselves in trouble with various authorities. The Jap Foreign Office said they could attend a Diet session only if they were 1) unarmed; 2) sober; 3) willing to promise not to eat in the galleries. They appealed to General MacArthur, who got the other provisions relaxed, but told them not to carry arms. Then he ordered newsmen three paces to the rear for the official entry into Tokyo. Said he dryly: "It is not American military policy for correspondents to spearhead the occupation."

The Japs' Domei News Agency, trying to be helpful, offered news service free to U.S. correspondents. Samples: More robberies committed by Americans; mentally deranged man shot for failing to obey U.S. orders; new assaults on Japanese women by invading troops.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.