Evening Star Newspaper, January 30, 1942, Page 13

Disaster Laid In Part to Secrecy Contributing Cause Seen in Keeping Stern Note Quiet By DAVID LAWRENCE. Secret diplomacy and the sup- pression of vital news of what the Japanese and American Govern- ments were doing may have been a contributing cause of the & Pearl Harbor 3 tionally ha been the cham- plon of open diplomacy and despite the pledge publicly given by Presi- dent Roosevelt that he would keep the leaders of both parties in Congress advised of critical moves in the international situation, it is now possible to state | that no such communication was | made reiative to the all-important note of November 26 sent by the United States to Japan. Senator Connolly, chairman of the Benate Foreign Relations Commit- tee, when asked whether he or any other member of the committee knew of the firm note of Novem- ber 26, stated to this correspondent that he did not know about it till he read it in the press just after Pearl Harbor was attacked. ‘There is nothing to indicate that the Senators would have disagreed with the policy of firmness in deal- ing with Japan or that they would have disapproved of the contents of the note, but it is interesting to consider what would have been the effect on the American people and hence on the entiré Army and Navy, including those stationed at Hawali and the Philippines, if the document had been given to the press Novem- ber 26. Historians May Ponder. Assuming that the Japanese ships were out to sea and waiting for orders to move closer to Pear] Har- bor, would not the American mili- tary and naval forces have realized that America was on the verge of | war after reading the note of No- vember 26? This is she question which historians may be asking and which defenders of a policy of open dealing with the people of & democ- racy through the press, as contrasted with a hush-hush and suppression policy, may exhibit as an example of tragedy that came because the facts were withheld, What would have been the public reaction if it had been revealed that the United States Government had formally demanded that Japan withdraw from Chiha and ftecognizé the Chungking government? This demand is believed to have aggre- vated an already tense situation and Proof of this is to be found in the | bitterly phrased note of the Jap-| anese which was handed to the| American Government on the very | day of the attack on Pearl Harbor. | ‘The Roberts report says the Jap- | anese government planned to sever diplomatic relations at ‘1 o'clock Washington time and attack simul- taneously. The Japanese plan for synchronizing the steps apparently | went wrong, but that Japan was| smarting under the American note cannot be doubted from the follow- | ing language of her reply: “The proposal in question (Amer- ica’s suggestion that Japan withdraw from China and recognize the | Chungking government) ignores Japan’s sacrifices in the four years of the China affair, menaces the | empire's existence and disparages | its honor and prestige.” Could Have Alerted Command. | Anybody familiar with Far East- ern affairs must have known that such a demand as America made on November 26 would make the Japanese angry. It will be argued that they deserved such a blunt statement but can it be argued that | when such a serious decision was | made it should have been kept | secret and not given to the United | States armed forces and the Ameri- David Lawrenee. can people as well as the Japanese | people? The policy of suppression played into the hands of the mili- taristic clique in Japan and deprived | the American Army and Navy | officers of information which would have impressed upon them the necessity for being on the alert dur- | ing the 11 days that elapsed between | November 26 and December 7. | It will be said that the note was | withheld for fear of offending | Japan. But the speeches made by American official spokesmen which were published in Japan during the last week in October were not in- | hibited by any such considerations of international etiquette or diplo- matic restraint. The fact remains | that America drifted into war with- | out the influential leaders of either | party in Congress or the American people knowing the contents of a Fine Footwear Since 1885 “SALUTE THE THe JoMN Expressing Dual Personality! New straight tip, English pattern, Medium A great favorite with both military end harness stitched thruout. tan Norwegian grain. civilian groups. Snyder ® Liftle r wesaronsras 1229 G S. N.W. A & HOE THE EVE On the Record Morale of U. S. Troops Cited as One Reason President Can Rejoice on His Birthday By DOROTHY THOMPSON. There are many things for which the President can be thankful on his 60th birthday, today, in spite of the fact that seven weeks ago it looked as though it would be & very bad one for him. C o nsidering the disaster of the initial blow seven weeks ago, occurring when the pub- lo mind was unprepared and the Nation divided; - con- " sidering the Derethy Thempsen. immediate stupefying effect of that blow, and the humiliation of it, and the way in which it dissi- pated all calculations, America is again showing her remarkable recuperative power. It Pearl Harbor wrote a dis- graceful chapter of American history, the investigation and the publication of the report, openly, for all the world to read, was an act of civil courage that con- tributes more to the morale of a free people than any whitewash job could ever do. At least, we didn't hear that Gen. Short had heart trouble or that Admiral Kimmel had apoplexy. 1f Pearl Harbor was a morale debacle, representing all the worst aspects of the American * mind — complacency, self-right- eousness, lack of the co-operative spirit and of thoroughness, and responsibility—the Philippine re- sistance will go down among the great epics of American history. MacArthur, Hart Praised. There a great general, Douglas MacArthur, and a fine admiral, Thomas C. Hart, are encourag- ing brave men to stand where hardly more than a delaying ac- tion can be hoped for; buying with their heroism preclous time for others; displaying that effi- clent co-ordirfation. swift wary energy and selfless devotion that were lacking at Pearl Harbor, and winning the eternal grati- tude of the American Nation. And they keep the spirit and tactics of the offensive, even against overwhelming odds, for wherever the enemy displays the slightest weakness they attack at that potnt. There is the same co-ordina- tion, efficlency and heroism in the Battle of the Macassar Strait. Three cheers for the Dutch, Mr. President, on your birthday. And three cheers for our forces at the strait. ‘There, by wonderful co-ordina- tion of the Dutch and American forces, of air forces coming from various bases, of fleet and air- craft, havoc has been wrought against the Japanese. The larg- est convoy of troop transports yet destroyed in this war has - A professional man may deduct all| necessary expenses incurred in the | clude the cost of supplies used in his practice. office rent, cost of light, water, fue! and telephone in his of- fice, the hire of office assistants, and expenses paid in the operation and repair of an automobile, based upon the proportion of time it is used for professional purposes. Many physiclans use their resi- dences both as their offices and their homes. In such instance the phy- sician may deduct as a business ex- pense the rental value of the rooms occupied for office purposes if he ac- | tually pays rent, and also the cost | of light and heat furnished these| rooms. Also, he may deduct a por-| tion of the wages paid domestic serv- | ants whose time is partly occupied in caring for these rooms. Membership dues in professional societies are de- ductible. Physicians and dentists who keep in their waiting rooms | current magazines and newspapers | for the benefit of their patients may deduct this item as a business ex- pense. The cost of professional journals for the taxpaver's own use | is also a deductible item. The cost of technical books is not a deductible item, being a capital i expenditure, but & proportionate| amount for each year's depreciation | of the books may be deducted. De- preciation may also be taken on office furniture and equipment. In- surance premiums on office or other professional equipment and liability insurance may be deducted. A pre- mium paid for automobile liability | decisive note until 11 days after it had been sent and an open at- tack had been made on the United States. The record of what hap- pened is important while the ir :- dents are fresh in the minds of those familiar with the sequence. | As the events of war muitiply, some- times incidents of this kind are for- gotten or lost in the confusion of vague recollections. (Reproduction Rights Reserved.) T LI L] MARSHALL" Marshall Your Income Tax- No. 26—Deductions for Professional Expenses been accomplished in & difficult maneuver of timing and collabo- ration. This Battle of Macassar Strait is restoring confidence in the possibility of holding the Dutch East Indies and is bucking up Australia. U. 8. Flyers Aid China. And the small, isolated volun- teer force of American flyers in Rangoon, Burma, is nothing for us to cry about. They are shoot- ing the Japs out of the sky, like pigeons, and proving the im- measurable superiority of Amer- ican planes and pilots over the Japs, given a vestige of a chance, protecting the lifeline of China— the Burma road—and giving the people of China a foretaste of ‘what our help will be one of these days. The landing of troops in North- ern Ireland, with complete secrecy and without a single loss in a large convoy, is another evidence that the spirit of the Maginot Line evaporated in Hawail. The -accomplished fact, together with the - President’s announcement that we would send troops all over the world, is a moral and political victory that is making a tremendous impression in Europe. The Germans are at pains to make light of it; they emphasise that in the last war American troops could be landed on the continent because there was a western front. Of course, in the last war, when American troops landed there was no Eastern front; Rus- sia had been knocked out of the ‘war for keeps. Today there is an eastern front, an African front, and a western front in the mak- ing. And, at any rate, this isn't the last war—and this war has its own tricks, and all the tricks are not in the minds of the Axis. Tribute to Our Troops. One thing stands out in all the sccounts, even in the accounts of Pear]l Harbor—the unexampled behavior of the American troops, the common soldiers. On Wake Island, in Hawail, in the Philippines, everywhere, they have showed guts, resourcefulness, superb bravery. And nothing in any way is as important as this: The quality of spirit and behavior among the rank and file of the armed forces. Everything else can be remedied except the morale of armed forces as a whole. For the bulk of the army is representative of the nation and expresses the spirit of the nation. * The spirit of this Nation is all right; all right in 1942 as it was all right in 1917, in 1813, in 1776— and as it will be all right in 1976 and 2076. For America has just begun to fight, and America has just begun to live. Happy birthday, Mr. President.” And may your next be lots hap- pier than this one. (Released by the Bell Syndicste, Ine) insurance should be apportioned and that part of the premium attribut- | pursuit of his profession. These in- able to business may be deducted a8 & business expense. Crash Injuries Fatal STAUNTON, Vs, Jan. 30 (®— Injuries sustained Wednesday when struck by an automobile near Green- ville resulted in the death yesterday in a hospital here of Miss Lula Painter, 47, of Greenville. SA This is the Annual men look forward we have only sizes an SALES OF FINE g NOT CONNICTID Wi The Lewis & Thes. Saltz 1409 G Sireet, N.W. OF FINE QUALITY CLOTHING two price yearly, these savings represent extraor- dinary values, worthy of widespread atten- tion. This season, more so than ever be- fore, this Sale is significant. Firstly, be- cause prices on clothing are rising. Sec- ondly, because of the increasing difficulties encountered in obtaining imported and the finer domestic woolens. All merchandise is from our regular stocks, exceptionally fine in quality and character, at sale prices that reflect very worthwhile savings. All AND SHOES NOW IN PROGRESS -~ LEWIS & THOS. SALTZ 1409 G STREET N.W., DISTRICT 3822 Tfll opinions necessarily of the writers on this page are their own, not The Star's. Such opinions arg presented in The Star’s effort to give all sides of questions of interest to its readers, although such opinions may be contradictory among themselves and directly opposed to The Star's. The Great Game of Politics Signs Point to Policy That New Dealers Will By FRANK E. KENT. The great handicap to our war- production effort is the lack of raw materials. We talk a lot about the inexhsustible wealth and immense dustry, there is & shortage of aluminum, of o solutely essen- Prank R Keat. tlalto the manu- facture of war equipment. It is & very vital part of the job of Donald Nelson, head of the War Production Board, to find substi- tutes for these things; or to de- velop their production here; or to arrange, despite the difficulties, for their importation. Clearly, he is not going to be able to provide ade- quately for eivilian as well as mili- tary needs. It will be a tremen- dous achievement if he succeeds in supplying the latter. Of oourse, it is true that these shortages should not exist. The reason they do exist 1s because until two weeks ago there had been no real head to eur pro- duction machinery. Though we were preparing for war, there was no competeat direc- tion. In consequence, the business of looking ahead was nobody’s busi- ness. In consequence, there was no one to think of the future. In consequence, there was no one com- bining authority with intelligence to buy up and store these materials Baruch and s few others, urging that we profit by the experience of the past, went unheeded. In conse- quence, there were 22 months of incompetency and confusion, and when the war finally came we were caught off balance. Nelsen Takes Hold. But there is no use dwelling on | these undeniable facts now. Not-| withstanding lost time and present handicaps the job has to be done and it is encouraging to report that Mr. Nelson appears to be grappling with it in an effective way. When | he first took hold, the background of his selection and the character of his associations created consider- able fear he lend himself too completely to the advice and in- fluence of the little group of “in- side” New Dealers, sometimes known a3 the palate guard, among whom he had his strongest support. So far this fear has nét been justi- On the contrary, in the three weeks since his appointment, Mr. | Nelson has demonstrated two things | —first, that he is selecting his own | men; second, that he listens to reason and is anxious to profit by | the experience of the past. More | than that—he appreciated very | clearly that if, after that executive order, in which the President gave him complete power, he yielded an inch he would be ruined. Failure, even for a moment, to recognize that hesitation about acting as he thinks best, consulting whom he pleases and picking the men he wants, would be fatal. So far he has shown no such hesitation. S0 far he has resisted every effort to whittle him down and the whittlers appear somewhat dis- LE Sale which so many to each year. Since reductions d models. HABERDASHERY Lose Monopoly on Effort to Win the War couraged. At least, that is the way it seems to those in best position to judge. Another encouraging sign of the week was the appointment by the President of Lewis W. Douglas as assistant lease-lend administrator in London. Mr. Douglas has not been on friendly terms with Mr. _ | Roosevelt since he resigned in his first term as budget director in protest against the economic un- soundness of New Deal fiscal policy. Although Mr. Douglas strongly supported the Roosevelt foreign policy from the start, he is the first man conspicuous in the campaign against the third term whom Mr. b- | poosevelt has named to any post of importance since the appointment of his first defense organization. At that time—and frequently since—he appealed very strongly for non- partisanship and national unity. Outsiders Being Called. The point is made, however, that in the selection of key men for the defense machinery many of the ablest citizens in the country who opposed his election have not been called upon. It was sald that what amounted to & blacklist existed in the White House and that the ad- ministration was determined to manage the war effort without call- ing upon any of those whom the President felt personally antagon- istic. This meant that some of the most competent, qualified and ex- perienced of Americans were to be kept permanently on the outside. The Douglas appointment is an indication that this policy is begin- ning to disintegrate. It was origin- ated and pressed upon the President by some of the closest of his New Deal aides and has been one of the reasons for & great deal of discon- tent and resentment. Hope is ex- pressed that he has become con- vinced that the Nation needs the help of every man capable of making a real contribution to the war effort, regardless of his personal taste or politics. There are some obvious men still on the outside with whose help he could replace incompetency with competency. There is no surer way to improve morale and to win the war. (Coprright, 1942 T. Howard Duckett To Give Lecture T. Howard Duckett, past chair- man of the Washington Suburban Sanitaty Commission, will be the speaker at the next lecture in the “Know Your County Government” series, to be held at the Bladensburg Fire Hall at 8 pm. Thursday. Luis Granados, chairman of the County Affairs Committee by which the lectures are , sald in urging the public to attend that the Suburban Sanitary Commission is the least understood of the bi- county commissions. TH SALTZ BROS. INC. G STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, JANUARY 80, 1942. This Changing Japs Force Prisoners o World f United Nations to Lose Face in Orient by Humiliating Work By CONSTANTINE BROWN. The Japanese are fighting the United Nations in the Pacific with their whole military power. But that is not all; they are also endeavoring to expel the entire white race from Asia with typical Oriental methods. According to reliable reports which are filtering into Washing- ton, American and British' offi- cers and men captured at Hong Kong, Wake Island, Malays and those points in China from which American garrisons were not evacuated are being subjected to many humilistions which cannot be described exactly as cruelties but are intended to make the ‘whites lose face with the natives. ‘The treatment of American and British soldiers on the Asiatic mainland contrasts with that accorded prisoners in Ja- pan. At Shanghai, Tientsin and other places in China, American and British prisoners, regardless of whether they have commis- sioned rank, are forced to pull rickshaws, do road work, and clean streets and barracks under the eyes of the Chinese, who have been accustomed for dec- ades to look up to these men in British and American uniforms. Worse Than Death. It must be singularly impres- sive for the Chinese to see American and British officers whom they respected and knew well now pulling rickshaws alongside the poorest coolies. In those vehicles sit Japanese of- ficers and privates. American missionaries, who over a long pe- riod of time had gained the highest respect of the Chinese, are compelled now to do menial work always performed by na- tive servants. Losing face in the Orient is worse than being killed. And the Japanese high command ob- viously is trying to undermine the prestige of the whites with the hundreds of millions of Ori- entals. News of the defeats of the British and Americans at the hands of the Japs is often discounted by the Chinese who live under Japanese domination. Furthermore, the natives do not consider military setbacks as par- ticularly shameful; they are just the fortunes of war, which change from day to day. Losing face is far worse than losing & battle. ‘The Japanese initiated such & policy as this as early as 1939, when they compelled British men and women living in Tient- sin to undergo humiliating searches at the hands of Japa- nese sentries. Both men and women were undressed each time they moved from the British settlement into the native city, contract LOOK FOR THE GOLD CLOCK 708 7+ ST.-1305F ST. MEtropolitan 0060 Cyverlastin g SYMBOL'S The lasting brilhiance of a CERTIFIED PERFECT DIAMOND is the undying symbol of an undying love. On the occasion of your engagement and your wedding your CERTI- FIED PERFECT DIAMOND becomes the which the Japs had just taken over. Americans escaped many such humilistions at that time. Now the Japanese hope to break the confidence of Orientals in the prestige of the white race by treating white soldiers in the same way as—and sometimes worse than—they and the Chi- nese treat coolies, Treated Falrly in Japan. The reports of Swiss diplo- matic and consular representa- tives that American prisoners are treated fairly are correct as far as the Japanese islands is con- cerned. There they are kept in prison camps and enjoy the treatment agreed on by all na- tons in the Hague convention. But the Swiss have little oppor- tunity to witness what happens to Americans and British outside Japan. According to still unconfirmed reports, some American and Brit- ish officers who distinguished themselves against the Japs have met with “accidental death.” ‘The Japanese are not worried about what happens to their own men after they surrender. Ac- cording to the Japanese code of honor, a soldier of the Emperor must not allow himself to be taken prisoner; he must die on the battlefield, regardless of con- ditions or circumstances. Displeasing to Germans. The majority of Japanese fighters are peasants or lowly city workers who for centuries have been used to all kinds of humiliation from the upper classes. Ordinary treatment of war prisoners by western Nations means luxury for the ordinary Jap soldier. The Germans are reported to be none too happy about the humiliations imposed on British and American prisoners. They see the writing on the wall When this war is over, if the Japanese are not utterly defeated, Asia will be no place for either Germans or Italians. German officers attached to Japanese forces—and there are a number of such men with every Japanese unit—have attempted to interfere. They do this not because of sympathy for Allled prisoners, but because they realize that the slapping of American and British faces now fore- shadows the twilight of white influence in Asia. The Germans know the Japan- ese are mistreating their prison- ers because it is the policy of the Tokio government 50 to do. The influence of the Germans with ‘Tokio, however, is limited to war plans and synchronization of strategies. CERTIFIED PERFECT DIAMOND ENSEMBLE $8 Monthly PLUS FED. TAX of love, devotion and companion- ship, never to be forsaken. Open a Convenient Budget Account A-11 McLemore— Hollywood Unshaken By "Victory Suit’ Bf HENRY MeLEMORE. 108 ANGELES. — This movie capital took the news of the “vic- tory suit” with admirable calm. There was little or no hysteris ‘when word came in from New York that the tatlors of the Nation have de- signed a stream- 1ined, wartime, cloth-saving suit which will be ~ minus vest, trou- suspender but - tons. Male movie Henry Mclemors. stars, whose ‘wardrobes are so extensive that hound’s-tooth checks have to bark to get worn more than once a year, took the news without & murmur. Even those who are accustomed to dressing like pages 23 to 46, in- clusive, of Esquire Magazine, and who make a fashion plate look like & tramp in a dust storm, were not shaken. When news of the “victory suit” reached Hollywood, I was playing golf at the Lakeside Golf Club with Bing Crosby and Johnny Weismul- ler. Instead of being depressed over the thought of having to sing a love song in a vestless sult, or climbing a tree in a cuffless pair of pants, Bing and Johnny were elated. Of course, I didn’t take their re- actions as typical of all Hollywood, because Bing and Johnny are not noted as dressers. It is a known fact that Crosby has only four suits, all of which were given to him by his grandfather when he (Bing, not granpa) left home to seek his fame and fortune. He has never added to his wardrobe, although it is gen- erally believed that he could easily do so by watching his pennies for & month or two. ‘Weismuller’s Plight Worse. Weismuller isn't as well off as Bing, sartorially speaking, his grandfather having given him only three suits, and Johnny is rougher on clothes than Bing. It is much easier on the clothes to sing “Pen- nies from Heaven” than it is to throw a monkey on the ground and wrestle with him. As soon as we finished the round, T hot-footed to the clubhouse to study the reactions of other stars to the coming of the “victory suit.” There is no better place in Holly- wood to study the stars than at Lakeside. Scores of them belong to the club. | T was particularly anxious to see how Adolf Menjou reacted to the possibility of having to wear a “vic- | tory suit.” Mr. Menjou is not only the best-dressed man in the world but also has a first-10 rating on Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. The sightseeing buses that pull to a stop [uonx the first fairway at Lakeside, in order to give the tourists an eye- full of the cinema celebrities, 2re i‘squlpped with smoked glasses to | protect the eyes of the customers | when Mr. Menjou strolls along the greensward, intent upon breaking 100. He looks like a rainbow with a poor backswing, the aurora borealis with a shaky putting stroke. Menjou was not shaken by the an- nouncement of the “victory suit.” Standing before his lockers (he | doesn't just have a locker, he has | one for caps, of which there are two ; types, back nine and front nine | caps; one for sweaters, one for shirts, | one for scarfs, one for belts, etc., etc.), he patriotically said he would be glad to go vestless if it would | help lick the Japs and Nazis. Noble in Renunciation. *T have hundreds of cuffs and | vests to give my country,” he said, | “and will even give my shirt if that | will help.” ‘ Guy Kibbee was delighted to hear | of the “victory suit.” The man who plays “Scatergod Baines” says that he figures he has wasted 10,000 man- hours buttoning vests and that with the “victory suit” he will have just that much more time being lazy. He did regret the coming of the cuffless trousers, however, saying that the | cuff has long been the best ash tray ever invented by man. I didn't get to poll Errol Flynn. I was sorry about this, because I wanted to find out if Errol thought | he could possibly be as brave wear- | ing pants without suspenders as he has been in the past. More on this later. (Distributed by McNausht Syndicate, Inc.) UNITED STATES 1t will cost money to defeat the Axis. Your Government calls on you to help now. Buy Defense bonds or stamps today. Buy them every day, if you can. But buy them on a regular basis. Bonds cost as little as $18.75, stamps come as low as 10 cents. Defense bonds and stamps can be bought at all banks and post offices, and stamps can also be purchased at retail stores and from your newspaper carrier boy. Support your Government with your dollars.