The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-08-27

A m b ass ador
Nomura, however, speaks United
States. and evolved the ABCD des-
ignation for the benefit OF writers
of American newspaper headlines
It's pretty hard to write America,
Britain, China and Netherlands
East Indies, plus a few other
words, with spaces between EN-, in
a dozen or Is letters. ABCD,
though, fits in very conveniently,
We may not overly like Japan
at present, but Ambassador No
mura personally is a good scout
adline writer's acknowledge
their obligations to him.
Since he gave 'em his original
suggestion. ABCD has been trans
formed into ABCDR, to provide
for Russia, which now is said TO
be included in the international en-
circlement outfit. ABCDR hasn't
quite ABCD's perfect alphabetical
continuity, but there's no help for
II. Russia can't be omitted.
probably wouldn't enjoy being
DETAINED in Japan. like those
100 Americans whom the Jap gov
eminent wouldn't allow to sail for
home on the steamship President
Coolidge, but the Imperial Hotel Is
TO bad hosiery to ir1flabit in Toxic
in normal times. When my wife
and I dwelt there, in pre-World
War No. l days, we liked IL
Almost q Killing
In that era it wasn't necessary
for a visiting American even to
have a passport. But I'd been in
China. Civil war was raging there
then, and I'd considered it judi
cious to tote a pistol, .45-caliber
Colt automatic, then the very lat
est pattern Of shooting iron. Land
ing in Yokohama, bound for Toxic,
l deemed it desirable to report at
police headquarters that 1 pos
sessed the weapon. Accordingly
headed in at the proper office and
asked IL 1t was o. X. for me to
keep the thing. 1t was, but the
coppers were greatly interested in
the gun, never before having seen
one like 1t. For experimental pur-
poses, one of them put the muzzle
against a friends head and pulled
the trigger. Fortunately I'd re-
moved the clipful Of cartridges,
but there'd have been dead Jap
on the premises if 1 hadn't. The
Japs are just that playful.
As a foreign correspondent I
had a desk in the main Office Of
the Nippon Dempo Tsusin Sha
Jap Telegraph News company.
1t was equipped just like the office
OF any American news agency, but
the stan all wore kimonos and
clogs and things. Gosh! but they
looked funny, editing news, so
attired.
What's more. IL II happened to
DO a hot day, they'd no hesitation
about peeling everything of, and
going on with their editing in
pair Of clogs alone. Neither did 1t
make any difference II there
CHANGED to be some girl stenogra-
piers around. In fact, the girls
were liable to peel off also. There
was nothing immoral about It; it
was just the custom Of the country.
was regarded as a guest and
nothing was too good for me. If l
wanted an interview with some
mogul, such as a cabinet member,
lit was fixed for me in short order.
Those guys certainly can be nice
to you II they feel like 1t.
Japanese Drama
One evening my wife and I went
to the Imperial theater. 1t was as
modern as anything Broadway has
to offer. The actors, though, don't
do any talking. They ACT, but the
plays purport is recited by a chap
in the background.
This particular play was an
olden-days affair-a good many
generations back. One OF the per-
formers impersonated a high-up
government Official Of that epoch.
He wore a pair of pants about six
feet too long for him. The over
plus dragged behind him. It was
explained to me that, at the time
that that play represented, all ex-
allied officials wore such pants. If
they stepped too hastily, they fell
on their shoots instantly. The idea
was to remind 'en1, constantly, not
to make official decisions in .
hurry-to stop ana think nrst.
Yet that actor danced in those
pants. He cavorted, with six feet