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JAPS PLANNED DEATH OF GREW, CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Ambassador Tells of 1936 Assassinations

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED

Both Charlie Chaplin and U. S. Ambassador Joseph C. Grew were once marked for Japanese assassin's bullets, in an attempt to get the United States to declare war, it was revealed by Grew in a feature article in the current issue of the Harvard Alumni Bulletin discussing the Nipponese tradition of political murder.

Grew, who was in Tokyo during the wave of assasinations which took place on February 26, 1936, personnaly observed the tragic events which led up to the purge, and had known several of the more liberal figures who were violently 'removed from office.'

On the night before the first killings took place, Admiral Viscount Saito and Admiral Suzuki attended a large dinner party at the American Embassy, and less than half a day later, both were attacked.

The former, well-liked by the many Americans who had known him as Governor General of Korea, was shot to death, while the Emperor's Grand Chamberlin, Suzuki, was seriously wounded after a long conversation in which he calmly discussed his fate with the murderer.

Treating the backgrounds for these violent plots, Grew continued, "Assassination is a well-recognized political procedure in Japan. When the extremists in the armed forces, especially the younger officers, believe that the Emperor's close advisors are too liberal in outlook and are failing to support the extremist and expansionist ambitions of the army and navy, they first try to get them out of office by political maneuvers and, if such maneuvers fail, then by armed assault."

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