History for Chron

Spokane resident Eric A. Johnston, the president of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, was elected president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America.

Johnston, who could not immediately be reached for comment, previously announced that he would continue to make the Lilac City his primary home.

In a previous interview, he also said he did not expect to relinquish his other business interests. He sat on the boards of Seattle First National bank, Spokane and Eastern bank, United Airlines and the Olympic Steamship company in Seattle.

Johnston also said he would continue serving on the war labor board and committees named by President Harry S. Truman dealing with labor relations and reconversion problems.

Acting Secretary of State Dean Acheson said the U.S. government, not Gen. Douglas MacArthur, would set policy for the pacification and control of Japan.

Acheson’s statements were the latest of a round of incidents between the White House, the War Department and the State Department following comments by MacArthur.

The general apparently surprised government leaders when he announced that the occupation army in Japan could be cut to 200,000 in six months.

Acheson would not directly comment on the number of troops needed but said “whatever it takes to carry this out will be used to carry it out.”