Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-04
Be Pa+ien+!
Old Men Are
Running War
We Must Be Careful
Not TO Offend Anyonev
By DAMON RUNYON

with the way the war is be-
ing conducted by our side. There
is no sense getting yourself
steamed up by running around
asking why this and why that.
II is an old gentlemen's war for
the time being and old gentle
men move slowly and cautiously.
This is perhaps all for the
best. II we had a lot of young
hotheads in charge they would
probably impetuously seize the
French islands in the Caribbean
where those enemy subs are
most likely basing and that
would get US in jam with an
other old gentleman. NJ. Petain,
though what more harm Nj.
Petain could do our cause than
he has already done is not clear.
THESE hotheads would per-
L haps be loading up Hawaii
with planes and guns against
that inevitable day when the
laps will make another stab at
the islands with the idea of us
ing them as springboard for
assaults on the Pacific Coast and
the furry Of this preparation
might unduly disturb our good
friends who are neighbors 10 the
defense plants in Los Angeles
and other coast areas.
Our friends know their pre-
cincts are going 10 be assaulted
all right If the Skibbies take Ha-
wall and probably even II they
don't. But We suppose they pre-
fer not having too much made
of the matter in advance lest IL
make business uneasy. Besides(
they have been assuming that
though the horse has been
stolen. the Hawaiian stable had
been locked against the contin-
gency that the SkibS might re-
turn for the saddle. and we
think they should be permitted
10 gradually assimilate the news
that such is not the case rather
than get il in one big shocking
dose.
DISPATCHES from Honolulu
IL state that military experts
there admit the need for more
guns and more men. The
Hawaiian land and air forces
have been strengthened since
the Japs copied sneak on VS.
last December. but il is conceded
that what we have there is still
not enough. The greatest need
is more planes We should have
hundreds and hundreds OF them
there because IL has been dem
onstarted time and again, In
the war in the Pacific that the
plane is the strongest engine
against invasion.
II seems well nigh incredible
that after the lesson of Deem
her. Hawaii should still stand as
weakly defended az the dis
patches suggest. The average
American probably took II for
granted that this. Of all places,
had been frightened up IN man.
ner To defy any possible attack.
That it might be subject 10
sporadic air raids was assumed,
but that II could still be open TO
tho fate Of Singapore was un-
belieVable.
IF THE laps should take
L Hawaii. the idea OF An in
vasion of the Pacific Coast nv
the brown hordcs would mol
longer be as fantastic as il now
seems. There is every reason 20
believe that the JapS are think
ing in those very terms. They
are vengeful against Americans
because Of what they consider
indignitics 10 their race IN the
past. Their spokesman have
said they will write the terms
Of peace in Washington.
II makes The blood Of an
American boil 10 read that our
bows. prisoners Of war in Japan,
are being forced To hard labor
bv their captors while We debate
the measure OF comfort and con-
Venience by which We will
handle aliens Of that nation here.
Yet. the treatment Of American
prisoners is a reflection Of what
could happen in this country on
vast scale if the laps ever got
a foothold on our soil They are
only a cut above savages. and
any one who regards them in
any other light is daffy.
TT Is all very we'll for us 10 kid
L about dangers that seem
purely imaginary Al the mo-
ment. like an invasion Of the
West Coast but the Skibbies are
not kidding. You can bet they
are discussing the matter over
their drains and in no sense Of
humor. either. Offhand. We say
the thing is utterly impossible.
hut the impossible has occurred
SO often in this war. including
the sneak raid on Hawaii. that
we cannot feel too easy about
anything
We will eventually hammer
the Japanese back 10 their little
island and reduce them 10 MOTH
ing in world affairs. But the
task will be less difficult If we
exercise few precautions, Of
which the equipment of Hawaii