The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-10-18

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man. Dispatches describe him as
president of the Nippon Press as
ISOLATION. His outfits real name is
the Nippon Dempo Tsusin Sha-
Nippon is the Japs' own name for
their own country. Dempo means
great. That is to say, Nippon DEM
20 translates into Great Japan
Just as the British call their set-up
Great Britain. Tsusin means news
by telegraph. Sha means an incor-
porated company. Thus, Nippon
Dempo Tsusin Sha-Great Japa-
nese Telegraph News company. It's
a big concern and Mr.. Mitsunaga is
head Of It. He's an important indi-
vidual, who speaks with authority
but there's nothing governmental
about him.
I don't think he intended 10 be
sassy. Years ago, when l was
news correspondent in Toxic, I had
a desk In the NDTSs Offices, and
knew their boss quite well. He was
no lingo, but an extremely amiable
old editor. My impression is that
his idea wasn't to be personally
threatening-that he simply was
expressing what he takes to be
japanese public opinion. And he
ought TO be a good judge OF it.
Anyway, he made our official
dom pretty hot under the collar.
Blufing, Maybe
The state department isn't ex-
actly inclined to be warlike. Secre-
tary Hulls policy is to be firm, but
our diplomats notion clearly is
that the Japs are bluffing-that
they'll subside il they're called
vigorously enough.
Our navy folk, though. aren't so
sure that it's all bluff on the island
ers part. A good many of the naval
crowd have been in the Orient
themselves. They know how down.
rght suicidal Nippon's professional
fighters are-how ready they are
to go to the mat regardless Of pos
sible consequences.
The situation isn't particularly
any Of our arrnys funeral. What
ever muss we have with the Japa-
nese obviously will be on the navys
hands to attend to.
And one hears considerable navy
departmental chat to the effect
that now's the time for us to smash
the Mikados sea strength in as
short order as we can DO II. It's
agreed that it's an inopportune
juncture, with the present turmoil
In Europe. Nevertheless, some Of
our strategists draw the line on
this latest Pearl Harbor talk. Their
reasoning is that we'd better put
the Japs out Of business before we
have the European Axis to worry
about, II ever.
OF course our experts all admit
that we're at a disadvantage be-
cause Of the long range at which
we'd be forced to operate. Navy for
navy we outclass the Mikado, but
the latter certainly would keep his
ships in his own home waters. We'd
have TO send ours three or four
thousand miles across the Pacific.
True, we have Filipino base and
unquestionably the British would
make US welcome at Singapore.
Still, It would be a long cruise for
US TO Manila and Singapore, where
as it's only an overnight voyage
from Japan's southern Formosa to
Manila, and Singapore also is right
In the Mikado's oceanic dooryard.
Cut on Supplies
One thing our navy men argue Is
that we can cut the Japs off from
all their sources Of supplies for
fighting purposes.
Iron. for instance. They haven't
any Of their own. They might beat
Us to the Dutch East Indies and get
some ore there. Or they could get
plenty Of It from their occupied
area on the Asiatic mainland. II
appears however that they haven't
the reduction plants to treat raw
ore. They've got to have already
treated scrap, and we could cut
that oauffrg arrnOh