The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-07-07
Observations
Mead Investigating
Committee inquiries
on Highway Project
BY HELEN ESsARY
Senators on the Mead war inyes-

Senators on the Mead war inyes-
tigating committee are privately
digging into the circumstances sur
rounding the Latin-American high
way project. which calls for the
construction OF an so or 90-mile
strip in northern Nicaragua.
Republican senators on the COM
mittee intend to see to II that a
thorough investigation is made OF
several other projects, including
contracts for construction of new
locks on the Panama Canal and for
construction work at Pearl Har-
Dor.
One senator said that fantastic"
prices were charged the govern.
ment for rentals on equipment
used on the Lstin-American project
while the contractor retained title
to the equipment
The German Ruhr. industrial
center OF the Mani Reich, continues
to plague the Allies IN peace just
as II did In war.
n
plan on the future government OF
Germany is concerned with the
question OF what to do with Ger
man industry in the area along the
Rhine.
No definite plans have been
formulated for the control OF the
Ruhr plants. This is one OF the
numerous blank spots in the Ameri-
can and British programs for the
occupation of Germany.
What the Allies do about the fu-
ture production and trade poll
cies OF these mammoth, cartelized
industries will. in the opinion of
Washington observers, determine
the possibility OF another world
war.
JAPAN'S BEHAVIOR on the in
ternational political front, now
that Germany has folded. has be-
come as fumbling and confused as
her military operations.
On one side. Japan has been try
ing TO appease Russia and divorce
herself from her fomer "anti-Bol-
shevik" coalition with the late
Benito Mussolini and the believed.
to-be-late Adolf Hitler. When she
formed that pact. she thought II
to be keystone OF foreign policy
that would pay dividends.
She kept this point OF view even
when the Russians and Germans
were bound by a non-aggression
treaty.
By attacking Pearl Harbor at a
time when 1t looked as though the
German jauggernaut would hammer
through Moscow, Japan gave furth-
er evidence of her anti-Communist
commitment. But now her spokes-
man eagerly point out that the tri-
partite pact no longer exists and
that she is no longer bound by Maxi
commitments.
Many japanese broadcasts pay
tribute to Russia "regenerated by
the Soviet system" Others con-
tend that Russia has many attri-
butes in common with the Asiatic
peoples.
But Moscow is becoming more
and more outspoken in its tough
talx with japan.
Toward China, on the other hand.
Tokyo is taking a somewhat differ
ent tack.
Chungking Is being told that as
ISOLATION with the Soviet Union
viii mean only that the Russian
attitude toward Poland will be fol-
lowed in regard to China. The imp
LEGATION is that a Communist re-
gime will be set up in China, with
Soviet backing, II Russia enters
into the war against Japan.
The Army's Psychological War
fare Division isn't permitting Itself
a lusty slap on the back, meanwhile.
but II is quietly hopeful that its
surrender leaflets may pay big diyi-
dends in Japan.
PWD points out that the red,
white and blue leaflets dropped on
enemy lines in Okinawa brought an
unprecedented number OF prisoners
In during the closing phase OF this
bloody. bitterly-fought battle.
PWD considers this little short
OF a major achievement. II cites
the age-old indoctrination methods
Of Bushido which left a Japanese
soldier no alternative but "honor.
able death" in battle instead OF sur
render.
PWD's surrender campaign In
Europe reached its height during
the final days OF the war when
thousands upon thousands OF de-
jected threw down their arms anc
trudged across TO the American
positions