The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-09-19


war, but he can start one, and
that's what he told the world In his
recent broadcast, that he intends to
dc, on a naval scale, unless the
Axis keeps its fighting craft out Of
our waters-apparently meaning
all the waters that there are on
earth.
II they don't stay out, our ships
will sink them, he warned, for
they're pirates. AS commander-in-
chief Of our army and navy. they
both are subject to his orders, and
he doesn't have to wait for a for
NAL congressional declaration.
To be sure, the president is de-
pendent on congress to provide him
with land, sea and air forces to
boss around. but he has them on
hand already, and can use them as
he sees At.
An Absolute Monarch
The Mikado supposedly Is abso-
lutely absolute. Perhaps be once
really was so, but virtually for some
generations past he hasn't been
much more than a symbol. Things
have been run by the Toxic civil
government and the Japanese mill
tarists.
The civilian Japanese leaders,
from time to time, have proven to
have good horse sense and, in gen.
eral, an inclination to get along
amicably with its home folk and
the rest Of the world. Its difficulty
always has been that the militar-
lists never have paid the slightest
attention to the civilian govern
ment's policies.
II civilian, In high official po-
sition, has been too insistent upon
having his own national and inter-
national way, it's been quite the
custom for a military committee to
drop in and assassinate him, and
that kind Of assassins never have
been called to account for It
Well, at the present tuncture
Premier Prince Konoye has shown
evidences Of a disposition to har-
monte relations between Japan
and the United States. He wants
concessions, doubtless, but he ap-'
pears willing to make some In re-
turn.
But the militarists obviously
won't stand for them.
Now Emperor Hirohito has
Clipped into the game and appar-
emily on Premier Konoye's side. In
stead Of remaining a mere figure
head, he behaves like making It
clear that he's the genuine ruler
that additionally he Is supposed
to be. He's set up In Toxic what's
called a National Defense head
quarters.
The name doesn't sound so pscin-
catory, but the best obtainable In
formation Is that the organiza-
lions purpose Is to hold the mill
tarists under control. Gen. Otozo
Yamada is the chief. General va
mada is an army man himself,
but he's represented as an old chap
OF a moderate, civilized type-not
a typical militarist.
What1l happen next Is a matter
OF guesswork.
II would seem TO be In order for
Premier Konoye and General va
mazda to oe assassinated. But IL
that's attended to, what's to pre-
vent the emperor from appointing
couple OF other anti-militarists to
their respective posts7
Maybe that could be guarded
against by the assassination Of
Hirohito, too.
Can't XIII q God
The objection to that, though, is
that the Mikado rates in Japan as
a divinity. As per the Jap religion,
he's directly descended from the
Almighty. And assassinating Heav-
ems own representative on earth
would be 80 radical a proceeding
that It's surmised even the militar-
lists would hesitate at IL.
Some Of the armys modernly
educated upper officers probably
don't believe in the divinity version,
but the rank and file Of their sol.
diery and the masses Of all Japs do.
The emperor unquestionably
could be bumped OF but, in all like
Hhood, the sequel would be civil
war, with the numerical odds ire
mendously against the assassina-