The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-12-17
BY JAMES R. YOUNG

Taken on board an American
naval auxiliary vessel. the Ancon.
in Tokyo Bay, for questioning,
Prince FNmimaro Konoye must
have been caught up in his interro-
cation, for now he has taken his
life following arrest as war erin.
inal.
am delighted at the arrest order
for the next-to-top Japanese inter
national crIme-maker Just ahead
OF the blooded royalist and expire
mier is Emperor Hirohlio.
Prince Konoye's title carried
prestige in pre-war contacts with
foreign nations. The prince main
tanned liason with prominent Amer
leans, Europeans and Englishmen.
most OF whom. unfortunately. sue
cumbed TO the titled dignitarys as
surances that he was against war.
One diplomat, however. was very
suspicious OF Konoye-our former
ambassador to Japan, Joseph Clark
Grew.
Since the wars end, have noted
that Konoye. the old guard scoun-
drel, has had support from many
who accept the statements in inter
views that the prince was not as
ISOLATED with military excuses.
The apologists have wanted to be-
lieve that Konoye is a liberal states
man whom Gen. Douglas Mac
Arthur should use to democratiZe
Japan, re-write the constitution and
advise the Emperor.
The three-time premier was nor.
however. asserted by Josef Messing
er. the Butcher OF Warsaw. a
leader OF pro-American faction.
The full story Of the princes
most fantastic scheme, to meet
with President Roosevelt at Ju-
neau. Alaska, in September. 1911,
could be amplified by Konoye's con-
fdential secretary. an Oxfordtrain-
ed man. Tomo Ushiba, who appear
ed, in 1871, on a top-secret mission,
at the Hotel Roosevelt, New YORK
City. In Tokyo the secretary was
the golfing and drinking pal or
Butch" Konoye, son OF the prince.
After Butch. who had flunked at
Princeton, returned to Japan, his
father appointed him to the presid-
ency OF a japanese University in
Shanghai, but night life in gambl.
ing halls. opium brothels aud dance
palaces forced the sons unwilling
retirement-to Manchuria.
The private secretary was exon.
Grated OF contributing to the sons
delinquency. and came to tins
country on a good will mission" to
contact an influential America or
ganiZation having headquarters in
New York City and special connec-
tons In Seattle, San Francisco,
Washington and Hololulu.
The princes collaboration in tho
overall Imperial plan was the Lord
Keeper OF the Privy Seal Ia Job
now abolished). Marquis Koichi
KIDD, the Rasputin OF the Mikado's
Imperial Court The two, by my
records. should be charged with
the following:
/. In January. 1881, they sideu
with War Minister Count General
Juichi Terauchi in an issue involv-
ing the bribery OF Parliamentary
budget committee members to pro-
vide two more divisions for the
Armys China" scheme. Terauchi
is the field marshal who surrender
ed his Samurai sword recently in
Singapore.
.. Konoye and KIDD promoted
the China invasion in July. 1887.
In the first week OF the campaign
the prince told me, through his sec
rotary, Ushiba, that "the nation
with airpower will win this war.
China, having no air force OF i'm
portance, could not have been in
mind. Perhaps he was thinning Of
extending the war to Russia.
3. Repeatedly. Prince konoye
and Marquis KIDD with their gangs
ter friend. T.ince IIigashi-Kuni, a
cousin OF the Emperor, minimized
documentary proof OF the death Of
l55, 900 Chinese in the Marking
massacre.
4. In every cabinet crisis from
1897 through 1915, Koroye and
I KIDD had direct contact with the
ernnerOr The prince could tele-
phone from his suburban residence
TO the Marquis in the palace, and in
30 minutes the two would be re-