Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-10-22
New Japan
Move Holds
Peace Hope
Gesture Seems 10 Have
Some Weight
BY PAUL MALLON


bewildering moves. The pawns
used best were ships.
A strongly preSsured Toxic
war threat tbuilt upon the
change in the cabinet was met
here by a polite and casual
order that some American ships
en- route to Vladivostok put in
at safe, friendly ports.
The official explanation was
offered Iha1--the vessels were
directed from their course to
consult American representa-
tives in some safe friendly ports
as the navy did not trust the
wireless. This was rather thin
in view OF the efficiency of mod
ern code books.
II wore thinner when London
suddenly and strangely became
eager TO broadcast reports that
the Reds were very. very weak
on their Siberian front facing
Japan. Through censors too
clever to permit any really bad
news to escape unnoticed, Lon
don reported the Soviets had
been compelled to diminish their
defense army facing the Japs in
front of Vladivostok.
II was true the Reds had been
trimming their Far Eastern
army from time to time. and
they have undoubtedly gotten it
down to the limit. But the limit
would still be enough to meet
any threat from Japanese quar-
tiers, as the japanese must well
have known.
Their answer was 10 stop
momentarily. at least. the ag-
gressive game they had been
playing, Instead of bristling,
they, for the first time. exhib-
tied some confidence there would
be no war. They permitted dis
patch of two vessels for the
United States. The gesture car
ried some weight to Washington
in view of the zealousness of the
japanese in protecting every
ship they have.
DUZZLING aspect of the tor
L pedoing of the destroyer
Kearny is the manner in which
the official announcement was
made. The world was led for
two days 10 believe there were
no casualties. The original state
ment from the navy department
at 9 a. m. Friday was that mo
casualties to personnel were in
dicated." 1t was not until some
go hours later that it was an
nounced IL were lost and 10
injured. Even then details were
refused.
General procedure requires
commanders to report casual
ties Immediately in their first
dispatch. No other factor could
be more important.
The official explanation is
that the Kearny commander
probably wanted to keep his
original radio report as brief
as possible TO prevent any other
Nazi subs from getting a cross
radio beam on him to detect
his presence while he was limp
ing TO report. This hardly covers
the obvious fact that three or
four more words would not have
increased the risk to any con-
siderable degree.
A more plausible explanation.
would be that the administration
did not want the blow TO fall all
at once. One of the new war
customs developed in Berlin.
London and other belligerent
capitals is to hand out bad news
piecemeal, delaying the worst
details weeks or months.
Z
a N OFFICIAL government
"A estimate, privately circu-o
lated. indicates American pro-
duction of munitions is still run
ming only one-half to two-thirds
OF the German. The Nazi esti-
mates can hardly be more than
gueSses. but the report has
caused increasing dissatisfaction
in the government with the
progress being made in this line.
One consolation is the Ger
mans are using theirs in much
greater. quantities.
TIlE Civil War must be over.
They finally have permitted
a pen SIX et c h of the plumed
knight of(the Confederacy., Jeb
Stuart, TO be hung on the walls
of the Army and Navy Club. the
first Confederate gneral 10 be so
honored. The club directors paid
equal honor. in the selection. TO
the artist. Col. John Thomson.
United States Marines. whose
world-famed pen style has pic
tured the scenes and figures of
many wars.
Distributed by King Features synd. Inc.