The Daily Alaska Empire

COMMANDER EMPEROR IN LONGTALK
Abdication Probably Discussed Among Other Important Topics
By Murlin Spencer and Morrie Landsberg. (AP Correspondents)

TOKYO. Sept. 27.-Emperor Hirohito called on General MacArthur today, removed his top hat and bowed to the supreme Allied Commander.

(The British Broadcasting Corporation in a broadcast recorded in New York by NBC quoted its Tokyo correspondent Douglas Willis as saying today that it is "strongly believed that Emperor Hirohito expressed his will to abdicate," and that "the redrafting of the Japanese constitution (to permit abdication) already is taking place."

There is no confirmation.)

The Japanese Central Liaison Office, to which all inquiries were referred, told the Associated Press today that Allied Headquarters and the Japanese Government "reached an agreement not to disclose" the topics discussed. The Japanese spokesman said that he personally knew what the conversation included, but that he could not reveal it without MacArthur's permission.

While the General and the Emperor sat by a glowing fire and talked, Domei Agency reported that four elements of the Sixth Army's 33 Division had arrived in the Kobe area on western Honshu to swell occupation troops there to 4,500.

Mutual Problems

Because of the length of the talk, it was assumed they discussed generally mutual problems connected with American occupation of what remains of Hirohito's once great empire.

Hirohito and his Japanese interpreter were closeted in the state reception room in the residence of the Embassy which MacArthur and his family have taken over.

The Emperor's somewhat old, dark automobile drove up to the main entrance carrying the Imperial Emblem on the front. The back curtain was drawn. Hirohito was sitting bolt upright in the seat. His Grand Chamberlain, Admiral Fujita, who previously met MacArthur to arrange the meeting, was sitting facing the Emperor.

An attendant jumped out of the car, opened the door and bowed. The Chamberlain backed out of the car, keeping his face to the Emperor, and bowed as Hirohito got out.

Shake Hands

The Emperor found Brig. Gen. Bonner Fellers, MacArthur's Aide, and Maj. Faubion Bower, an interpreter, awaiting them. Hirohito, in formal diplomatic clothes, took off his silk hat, bowed, and shook hands with Fellers, probably an unprecedented thing.

Still more unprecedented, however, the Emperor again extended his hand as Fellers introduced him to Bower.

Fellers ushered the Emperor ahead of him to the State Reception room where, as he entered the door, Hirohito bowed in MacArthur's direction.

Hirohito found his host wearing Army khaki and an open-throated shirt. The Supreme Commander wore no tie and no medals.

The call was informal. A spokesman acknowledged that the meeting was "fraught with significance" but emphasized it was arranged at the request of the Emperor's representative, presumably at a recent visit of Fujita.

The two shook hands and MacArthur greeted him with "good morning." They posed briefly for a picture, then moved to a settee where they began to talk.

There was a quiet dignity about the preliminaries as though MacArthur was trying to make the visit as painless as possible for the Emperor.