The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-03-28
BY JAMES R. YOUNG

MluQdudOt NollQ largest COCO
nut producing area and southern
most Philippine island OF import
ance, and Nagoya, q Japanese in
dusfrial city. targets This weeh for
/ L. ;. land and ain force attack,
are several thousand miles apart.
but the two carry special economic.
political and military Importance.
+ Nagoya central Japan seaport for
/ % years cleared passenger and car
} go vessels sailing for the Mindanao
I Island seaport OF DavaO where So
900 japanese farmers and merch-
ants we're concentrated in CONNER
cial and colonial expansion prepare
tory 10 invasion Of the Philippines
Many japanese from NagOya are
believed 10 have been Struggled
j , Mindanao. and not unlikely
they carried with them radios,
small arms and ammunition
Our first landing on Mindanao
was made at Zamboanga, Now We
must struggle through jungles
forests and mountains 10 reach
Davao the unofficial japanese capt
tai OF the Philippines.
As read of MacArthur's forces
advancing 10 Davao, and the eXCit-
ing eye witness accounts of the
sheets Of flame spread over Nago-
ia, by our B-29's, recall the long
time special connections OF the
two cities
From Nagoya sailed thousands
OF peasants. teachers. students,
treaty merchants and even health
investigators following the Japd-
nese flag TO Dayao. In 1889 Ad-
miral X Nomura. later ambassa-
dor 10 Washington, made a trip
to investigate the health Of Japa-
neSe on Mindanao. He had been
assured by the FilipinoS that
health conditions We're satisfac-
tory.
Patiently the japanese govern
ment pushed through its plan
through colonization companies
which underworld illegal registra-
ton of land titles and fishing
boats Incidentally an Identical poll
cy was followed by Jap consuls in
Honolulu San Francisco, Seattle
and Los Angeles. to hide alien fin
ancing.
The next step vas the control OF
industries on the island. Much OF
the hemp grown there, for exam
Pile eventually found its way TO
Boston They exploited mines. eX-
tracing thousands of tons OF gold.
manganese, chrome and fine iron
ore The last two are "musts' for
any war machine Sugar and co.
conut oil by the shiploads were sent
back 10 Japan, to be used in the
manufacture OF explosives These
raw products were processed in
modern war plants in Nagoya un.
der the supervision OF japanese ex.
pertly trained In American uni
yersities.
In turn, finished goods like porce.
lain, watches. bicycles and scores
OF other articles were made in ia
pan and shipped 10 the Philippines
for sale to the natives.
How important Nagoya is to the
Jap war machine can be seen in
the fact that east.west mainline
railroads operate through the city,
as does the powerful electric sys-
tenn which carried the voltage
necessary 10 operate the Mitsubishi
airplane plants. There is no doubt
that these installations were eth
or damaged or entirely destroyed
by the latest B-29 raid.
Several years before the war
when John Garner was vice presi-
dent, he headed a Congressional
delegation 10 the Philippines En-
route members OF the party visited
Japan and were received by the
Emperor. The evening before the
audience, Cactus Jack displayed
watch made in America for one
dollar 1t was his purpose to give
II to the Emperor. proving 10 him
thar We too could make articles az
low cost However. he never went
through with this For he learned
that the Emperor wore nickel.
plated wrist watch made at Nagoya
for . cents These same fac
tories later made the fine military
precision instruments used BY the
Imperial Army. That is. until our
bombers razed the buildings
Ever on the alert 10 mimic the
Americans the Japs soon became
expert at ito our financial loss
For example an American firm
planned 20 raise tomatoes and bot.
lie Cateun at \apoya bu1 rlp1urkify
for them the Japs soon discovered
their plan and made the catsup
nrst
Our fire bombings OF Eagoya are
successful in that we are seyering
railway communications between
Tokyo and Osaka. reducing the
war plane output and closing the