Evening star., 1942-09-02
Japan Finds English
Language Essential
On Production Front
Hoted Tongue Is Only
Means Of Developing
Resources Of Vonquished
zoe Dpndn returned recent1v
Vom anfernme,,t in Toxic. nbere
ne hnd serred NTH the Toxic Bu-
Teou OF the Associated Press nnd
Wide World. "
BY JOE DYNAN,

Wide World &
NEW YORK, Sept. Japan
which frowns on the use of an,
English or English lettering within
the Island Empire, is finding tn,
enemys tongue essential to the con.
duct OF her war effort.
English, the japanese war lord.
nave discovered, is the only common
meolum OF exchange throughout tht
newly conquered areas of the South
seas, Malaga and coastal ports. Fol
tnls reason, men with knowledge o1
Engnsh are in demand in Japan to-
oay and education ministry official.
are encouraging japanese high
school and college students to con-
tlnue their language studies.
economic experts of the joint
Army-Navy South Seas Develop
ment Board-on whom the Army
counts to deliver the sorely needed
goods from Malaga, the Indies, the
Philippines-have found that the
natives with whom they had to work
mad virtually no knowledge of Japa-
nese and the experts, in most cases
knew no Indonesian, no Tagalog, NO
Malayan.
Bow to Necessity.
But the Japanese did know Eng
lish. Many of the natives know
English. Hence, If the Japanese
Army and Navy is to get the tin.
the rubber, the oil and other essen
tial raw materials from the south.
the enemy's language must be used.
And it is.
This was bitter pill for the
fanatic patriots who have been
campaigning throughout Japan for
abolition Of all foreign tongues.
They opposed even the use of all
imported words such as "biru" for
beer, or "matchi" for matches.
With the blessing and assistance
OF the japanese police, they fought
the use of foreign titles on shops
IN shopping districts. Names such
as Theodore" for a bakery or
Olympic" for = restaurant drew
their ire.
They even sought removal Of all
signs In "Romaii," or Japanese
words spelled out in Roman letters.
and replacement with purely Japan
ese characters or KANT" symbols.
the Chinese characters.
There were long discussions in
the Japanese press all through Jan
uary to March whether the enemys
language was fit to be used by the
noble Japanese. Some declared
Japanese should begin to study the
other languages OF the co-prosperity
sphere, the Thai language, Filipino
dialects, etc.
But this. It was pointed out
would be long process while Japan
needed to utilize the conquered re-
sources quickly. Others said the
learning of English should be a
selective process. Only those with
ability to Withstand the subtle Gull
tural influences of English study
should be permitted to expose them.
selves to contamination.
Experts Lost in Sinking,
Inc Education Ministry helped the
campaign along by announcing all
american or English INSPIRED text.
DOCKS were being thrown away.
lhese bore too much the taint OF
noeralistic ideas. Instead, the jap
anese students would use texts
written by Japanese to include the
true Japanese ideals.
The dearth Of adequately trained
economic and financial experts with
q knowledge of English is one
reason why the loss of tlns Taiyo
Maru was such q blow TO the JAP
anese war effort,
The Taiyo was torpedoed and
sunk sometime in April or Nav
between Nagasah and Hong Kong
while carrying 500 or 600 Of these
experts to the South Seas. OF the
passengers and crew, only 300 were
saved according to a Japanese Of
nc1al announcement, which. how.
ever, omitted the name of the shin
the Identity OF its passengers.
Immediately afterward the eoy-
ernment began combing and re-
comblng the ranks Of the Mitsu-
bishi. Mitsui and Sumitomo firms
Tor other young men with similar
quall1cations. Fantastic salaries
were offered but the available talent
couldn't equal those lost on the
Taiyo, according to reports from
various friends.