The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-10-21
Observations
Americans Haunted
by Tragedy Enacted
at Pearl Harbor
by Helen Essary


Washington, you now come upon
discussions OF what really hap
2ened al Pearl Harbor?"
What really happened at Pearl
Harbor is a kind OF ha'nt that is
logging the thoughts Of troubled
people.
Certainly what happened at Pearl
Harbor is something to be eyerlast-
.ngly ashamed OF. A suspicion that
he greatest disaster that ever hit
he United States and It's fighting
,orces might have been the result
II a planned negligence, and this
Q the opinion some experts offer
makes the blood curdle with hor.
. .or
Admitting that the planned neg
igence was honestly meant TO be
small and that the course II took
vas a fearful shock TO the planners.
does not lessen the recoil from
such a suspicion.
An important national weekly.
after months OF worry over what
actually happened at Pearl Harbor,
decided TO do a careful piece OF in
vestigating on its own lines. The
weekly put one OF its best CORES
pondents on the trail OF the mys
terry.
The correspondent, after anxious
interviews found the truth as he
had discovered ii. greatly disturb
ing. He reported his findings to his
editors who in turn were appalled,.
Much consultation between cores
pondents and editors followed with
the result that the editors decided
not TO print an article on what
really happened at Pearl Harbor."
They felt it would be very dan.
yerous to alarm the people with the
facts they had discovered Worse.
the truth about Pearl Harbor as
they believed they had found Il
would greatly hinder the war eff
fort. And since We were Ia the war
however we got there. there was
but one course TO follow-to get II
won as quickly as possible.
: Among the still unexplained pre-
Pearl Harbor incidents IS the re-
port made by the aviators who, fly
ing over the Japanese fleet, no
ticed that no aircraft carriers were
travelling with the warships.
The warships were heading to-
ward Australia. This conceded with
informal ton given out by the Jap.
snese. But where were the aircraft
barriers that no fleet going on an
honest business would proceed
without?
J Obviously there was something
tricky here. Perhaps the japanese
were not going 10 Australia. Per.
hsps this cruise was a feint OF
some sort.
The aviators reported the signif-
hcant absence OF the carriers. But
Hid that increase the watchfulness
Iof the guardians OF Pearl Haroor?
IThe subsequent destruction Of most
LOT the United States fleet by the
Japanese best answers that ques'
|tion.
Conversations overheard
At the Army and Navy Club
|"And what really happened ny
dear was this-Tommy actually
|hitch-hiked from Saipan in five
days. In five days!
He had the most remarkable
luck. Just happened to thumb a
ride here and there in a plane.
When he got to London he met an
|old friened who squeezed him into
a bomber. And the next thing
there he was home again"
In a taxicab: Can you remember
when chicken used to be a treat?
Imagine that-chicken a treat! l
have to do lot OF travelling. And
I'm so sick Of chicken l get nery-
|ous indigestion as soon as a waiter
Hands me the menu card. Maybe'l
wouldn't mind so much II 1t weren't
ALWAYS the same chicken. d.. Some
times it's cooked pale and watery.
Sometimes it's burned to shoe lea.
ther. But It's the same chicken,
every time"
At one OF those packed in tables
IN a hotel dining room: What con-
fuses me Is that the hotels and
clubs seem TO have plenty OF but.
ter. | asked one hotel manager
what he did with the butter that
was left on the guests plates. He
said he Just threw 1t out. And We
housekeepers have to sell our soul
for a quarter.pound OF the stuff
Sometimes ! think Washing
ton is the most rationed town IN
the country"