The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-19
After Many
Years
Yorktown Deal Get,
Mr.. Msewhisesn Down
The Presiden. Draft,
Cslifornis Man
California Drafts
Mayor Harry Cain
~ v. I. SHORT

~ v. 7. SHORT
MR. MacNHf6GAN Is stump
Az ed. Although ne has not al.
ways agreed 100 per cent. ne
has consistently supported the
men who are directing the coun-
trys war policies. He has as
sumed that the civilian powers
that be and the military high
command. being right in the CEN
ter OF things. ought to know
what the situation requires. He
has consistently gone to bat
with his friends on that issue
but now he doesn't know.
What raised the doubt in the
mind OF Mr.. MaeWhiggan is the
story about the loss of the air
craft carrier Yorktown in the
Midway battle. He remembers
that the official communioue
left the impression that the
American losses were negligible
and that the japanese had suf-
fered heavily. Three months
after the battle Washington adj
mits that We lost one Of the
navy's finest ships. The reason
the information was withheld
three months, the navy depart
ment said, was to fool the Japs.
When 1t comes to lambasting
the Japanese war party Mr..
MacWhiggan will put in with
you as far as you want to go
until you begin to say the Jsps
are completely dumb. He will
admit that they have made some
terrible blunders but he doesn't
think they are so dumb as not
to know when they sink a ship
rs big and as important as the
Yorktown.
Hereafter when Mr.. Mac
Whiggan reads about various
episodes of the war he is going
to wonder just how much fact
Is being withheld. He doesn't
expect the broadcasting of in
formation that would help the
enemy but he does resent the
Yorktown stuff.
Mr.. MacWhiggan felt the
same way when the story Of the
arrow plowed in an Atlantic
coast wheat field was sent
broadcast. He is wondering II
the story of the fragments Of
a Jap incendiary bomb found in
the mountains of Southern Ore
gon will turn out to be the same
kind Of a hoax. He can't believe
that the japanese are so dumb
as TO risk plane costing sew
eral hundred thousand dollars
Just to drop one incendiary
bomb in enemy territory. Mr..
MacWhiggan has no illusions
about what the Japs will do If
they get a chance.
This doesn't mean that Mr..
MacWhiggan is going to drop
all his war work and sulk for
the duration. He isn't that kind.
But he is very much disap-
pointed in some of the men who
are out in front and directing
the war publicity.
DR. ROBERT GORDON
~ SPROUL. president of the
University of California, Berke-
ley. and a big man in any COM
munity. was scheduled to give
the principal address at the
meeting of the Association OF
California Cities at Los An
seles next week.
A few days ago, because he
Is a big man, DR.. Sproul WAS
drafted by the president for an
important duty in Washington.
There were not very many men
who could step into DR.. Sprouts
place on the program on short
notice. The committee looked
over the possibilities and picked
Tacoma's Mayor Harry Cain as
the man most likely to qualify
as a substitute for DR.. Sproul.
The decision was telephoned
10 Mayor Cain. The mayor ex-
pressed his appreciation of the
honor and added. substantially.
but shucks. fellows, you don't
want me TO come way down
from Tacoma. You've got lot
of folks nearer home that VIII
do a better job"
The answer TO that was that
the committee knew what II
wanted and would Mayor Cain
stop arguing. Transportation by
airplane had been arranged and
all the mayor had to do was
pack his bag and get on board
What could a fellow do In
ease like that Obviously notn-
ing but say ne would 90.
Or. sproul is not only oig
figure in education but he Is one
Of the most highly regarded
citizens Of California and an
authority on economics and IN
ternational relations. He holds
degrees from a dozen colleges
and has been decorated by sew
srsl foreign Countries To De