Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article979186
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MACARTHUR BLUNT
TO JAPANESE
Directions Must Be
Obeyed Without Delay
From Our Own Correspondent in New York and A A P
GENERAL MacARTHUR yesterday bluntly told
the Japanese to stop arguing about sending their envoys to Manila. His directions, he said, were clear and explicit, and were to be complied with without delay.
Japan may be compelled to sign the surrender documents in Hirohito's palace. This will be arranged at the Manila con- ference, which is now expected to take place next week.
Meanwhile Tokyo Radio says that Hirohito has issued a new rescript calling on the army and navy to lay down their
arms.
Associated Press of America points out that a rescript is weightier than an order, the means which the Emperor used previously to direct his forces to cease hostilities.
The rescript, which lauded the unstinting loyalty and bravery of the fighting services, added: "However, with the Soviet entry into the war and in view of the domestic and foreign situation, the ruler declared that despite the fact that the fighting spirit of the army and navy remains undiminished, he has sued for peace to avoid further needless disaster."
Tokyo Radio says the Emperor's personal envoys who are going to the battlefronts to ensure that the Japanese lay down their arms left Tokyo by air yesterday for China, Man- churia, and the south.
The party for the south, which was to have left Japan today, left a day earlier in order to avoid possible delay because of
bad weather.
Associated Press of America correspondent at Manila says that General MacArthur's de- mand to the Japanese to quit stalling was in reply to mes- sages from Hirohito: (1) That General MacArthur intervene in Manchuria; (2) that Allied forces refrain from approach- ing the homeland temporarily; and (3) seeking additional in- structions regarding the pre- liminary conference.
After the Manila conference an aerial armada is expected to transport many key Allied officials to Japan.