February 28, 1949
Conversation with General McCoy
General McCoy discussed the FEC operations with me. The main theme of his talk with me was that the method of our operation in the FEC was the most important consideration. There was a constant tendency, he thought, to forget that ten other nations were interested in Japan and would continue to be.
He thought that we should discuss matters in the FEC before taking action. He felt certain that if we would do this, we could get the sort of action we wanted and avoid a great deal of friction.
He asked me to find an opportunity to say something in a press conference about the FEC and, if possible, to come to one of the meetings.
We discussed briefly the reparations matter. He was inclined to share the views expressed by the economic division and Mr. Saltzman's division. He thought that the Army administrators of an occupied territory suffered from localitis and were apt to consider their particular problems from their own individual point of view. He was afraid that if we returned the reparations question to MacArthur it would be months before we could get any decision.
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