The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-12-23

4 " tAN go "a 80 - .
prodded up. IN advance. to a proper
sense Of their responsibilities?
It isn't denied that our islands
military leadership apparently was
pretty somnolent at the switch and
that if so, it ought to be called to
account for its doziness.
However, while agreeing to all
that, the critics reasoning IS that
it was the business of their supe-
riors at home headquarters, to
know Of any indications Of neglect
fitness on the part OF the outpost
defenders upper officers and Jab
'em onto the job IN short order
An occasional suggestion is heard
to the effect that an exceedingly
tough civilian has his merits per-
haps over professional land, sea and
air fighters. as a director Of large
scale hostilues, for the reason that
he isn't so conscious Of the risks he
may be running and consequently
inclines TO take worth while
chances, whereas a professional,
aware Of their danger, inclines to
hold of until he's sure he's ready.
and thus. now and then, misses an
opportunity to strike at an enemy
Unexpectedly and effectively
The points illustrated by part Of
the story from Hawaii
Assembled for Inspection
The account Is that the islands
brass hats had been giving their
aviation arm an intensive over
hauling. had their planes spruced
up 10 the utmost extremity and
then assembled them on their main
landing field for a minute inspec-
ton. in the midst Of which the Japs
came scooting over and, having the
flock all IN a bunch and on terra
firma, did them a lot Of damage,
like firing a shotgun into an i'm
modified swarm OF game birds Of
some sort.
A United States supreme court
justice perhaps seems an odd Sc
lection as head Of a committee to
investigate a military, naval and
aviatorial matter Justice Roberts,
though, is we'll equipped to weigh
the testimony that he and his four
associates elicit.
General Frank r. Mccoy and Ad-
mi-als William II. STANDBY and
Joseph VI. Reeves. all retired. and
General Joseph p McNarney. Of
tie army's air corps, are super
qualified as technical experts.
The espionage angle Of the case.
also VIII call for looking into. How
were the Japs so well informed as
to the ideal time. place and fash
ion for en- to strike with such
maximum effectiveness? OF course
there are plenty Of Japanese in Ha-
wai and they may have snooped
out valuable hints to Toxic. In the
eastern United states a Jap spy is
too obvious an enemy alien to es-
cape suspicion for long. but on the
Pacific coast and still more on the
Hawaiian Islands he can mix
among the native born folk Of his
Own parental OF grand-parental
origin without attracting much at
tsrtIon.
Justice Roberts should be good
as an espionage prober He special
lied at prosecuting It during World
var /
Incidentally. Clarke H. Kawa-
kami possibly win be more service
able to Uncle Sam as a reader OF
Jap minds than as a soldier in
Uncle Sans army, which he's Just
joining =.
Clarke. referred 10 hitherto, is
peculiar specimen.
One Journalist Held
His father. K. K. Kawakami. was
for years a japanese newspaper
man in the United States. He had
an American wife and Clarke was
born, brought up and educated
here He's as American as any 9TH
er citizen. Nevertheless. he kept in
touch with Nippon and, when the
Japs jumped on Hawaii was Wash
ington correspondent Of Domei, the
big Toxic news agency. Promptly
derouncing the assault, in terms
as strong as any Yankee Of many
generations employed, he pro-
claimed his candidacy for an Amer