Evening star., 1945-08-10

commanding the Communicate
Command, is making the prese
wife, also in Honolulu, make
Mrs. Pritchard's mother, Mrs.
S.W.
man Alfred Young Of the Board of
Commissioners, said liquor licensees
are being asked to close with receipt
of official word Of Japanese surren-
der. He said If the announcement
comes before 3 pm, there would be
no objection to the licensees reopen
ing the next day, but If the an
nouncement comes after 3 pm. they
are being asked to remain closed the
next day also. Dispensaries will
close as soon as word is received.
In deciding whether off1cial
county Offices will close, the county
will follow the lead of Federal Of
fees.
Police in Bethesda, Silver Spring
and Hyattsville and other Maryland
communities did not contemplate
closing taverns unless the customers
became rowdy.
Virginia to Halt Liquor Sales.
In Virginia, police said under a
ruling of the State ABC Board all
sale Of beer, wine and liquor would
be halted as soon as the news Of
surrender was official.
Most Washingtonians on the
streets this morning had left their
homes without having heard word
of the Japanese moves toward
peace.
Before am. on F street the only
stores open were the drug stores
and cafeterias. There was no radio
in any of them. But the rumor
spread fast. The news vendors on
the corners told their customers,
Come back in half hour-Japan
Is about to surrender"
Asked II this didn't hurt the sales
Of the earlier papers, one vendor
said Sure, but this is peace"
Most Seemed SkepticaI.
Most of the people, as they heard
the news, refused to accept 1t. A
counter girl in a drug store asked
where the news had come from, then
said when I hear Harry S. Truman
saying it I'll believe it. Not until
then. I got fooled last time"
A sailor popped his head into a
coffee shop. What time do the
liquor stores open?" he asked. He
grinned, then explained, They tell
me the Japs have quit and I got a
lot of celebrating to do-celebratin'
for me and my buddies. They are
where they can't get any liquor" He
wore q string Of several ribbons on
his breast.
Crowds at the Union Station were
skeptical of the reports.
TITS not yet oficial, is it?" they
asked.
Station officials said 1t was i'm
possible to broadcast the news over
the stations loudspeaker system be-
cause 'it is still unoficial because
it comes from the Japs. When the
United States Government makes
an announcement we will broadcast
it throughout the station. The same
thing happened shortly before We
day, when hundreds of rumors cir
culated throughout the city"
Soldiers Sigh With Relief.
A line of soldiers waiting to board
troop train to North Carolina,
when informed of the surrender
offer, breathed a sigh of relief.
Maybe we won't have to 60 to
Tokyo after ALL"
Other comments from the soldiers
were: Let 'em keep Hirohito. He's
their god. but he's only = figure
head" Hes a little screwball
and can't hurt anybody"
Mrs. Gertrude Speiden, 23l
Twelfth place NE, a clerk in the
Union Station drugstore, stood by
her counter, listening to her small
portable radio informing customers
as they entered the store of the
Jap offer.
Isn't it wonderful? I called my
-in-law, who came home on fur
Tough from Europe last week as
soon as I heard it. He probably
won't have to 60 to the Pacific
now"
A naval lieutenant who refused to
give his name said:
The Japs' offer should not be
accepted If there are any stipula-
tions attached to it. Unconditional
surrender means that no compro-
mise can even be suggested"
Call Report Marvellous"
Pvt. Morris Bisker, 1929 Ninth
street NV, arriving for a furlough
from Seattle, said. "the surrender
offer is marvellous"
A 19-year-old Japanese-American
from Hawaii, indicted into the
Army five months ago, wasn't so sure
that the Emperor would be retained
The soldier, Pvt. Carl T. Yonezawa
said the Japanese should be forced
to adopt government similar to the
United States.
THE Emperor might form another
military clique If he is permitted tc
stay at the head of the government,
the soldier said. II think that Il
Hirohito is allowed to stay, the
United States will have to patro
Japan for years to come. The best
thing is to shoot the whole roya
family"
Sailors and Marines who fought
and paid for Japan's offer to sur.
render listened solemly to theil
radios in the Naval Hospital at Be.
thesda, Md.
Must Forego Celebration.
For some, the war will not be ovel
for a year, or maybe two. But the
boys are willing to forego any part
in the celebration as soon as the,
know ofi1cialiy the men they left Il
finish the job in the Pacific will b,
coming home.
"You can't know how I feel jusi
at the thought we won't have to in.
wade Japan" said Pfc. w. G. Mac.
Pherson, 20. of Waynesboro, Va, whit
was wounded on Two Jima. ut tool
us as days just to take that billion
dollar pimple-Iwo. It means plent,
of guys will be coming home. M,
l best friend got through CkinaWa