187 Ball to Department of External Affairs

B.C.O.M.1.

Have not yet received reply to my 146. [1]

To-day I have sighted MacArthur's memorandum to the Council on minutes of the first Council meeting. It would seem that he insists that the functions of the Council are 'exclusively advisory and consultative' and states that its responsibility 'does not involve a review of action heretofore taken in Japan'.

In view of these statements and general tone of MacArthur's memorandum I propose in the absence of instructions to the contrary to make a statement in the Council on 17th April along the lines of the statement I made privately to General Marquat reported to you in my telegram 146.