Detroit evening times., 1945-08-20
The ROAD
To TOKYO
-ByJdmes R.
Young

the Japanese note IN lne para
graph which orders:
Immediately upon the sur
render, the Japanese govern
ment shall transport prisoners
Of war and civilian internees Tn
places Of safety, aS directed,
where they can quickly he
placed aboard Allied trans
ports"
For two weeks now the
Soviets have unleashed a hatred
Of 40 years, supported by a
vast might in their trained
European and Siberian vet
Grams.
They were headed for the old
Manchu capital Of Mukden, in
the heart of the vast Manchu-
Tian plains, where 1t. Gen
Jonathan NJ. Wainwright and
1l6 high L. s. Army and Navy
officers are held. They were
moved there from Formosa in
November, 1914
THE weather at this season
Il around Mukden is hot and
dry. The temperature reaches
100 l believe the men are con-
fined with other personnel, sent
there two years ago, in red
brick buildings.
The first contact with these
prisoners should he as dramatic
as the sensational release Of
our thousands of men al Caban-
tuan and Bihbid in the Philip
pines.
Two other prison camps To-
Gated south Of Kello, the Korean
capital, likely will be reached
by the Soviets who will come
in from their landings in the
northeast part Of the peninsula.
The number Of Americans IN
Korean camps is unknown but
there are believed 10 be thou
sands Of British and Australians.
| have but one regret - the
failure some time ago of our
own government TO initiate a
plan TO transfer American priS-
oners of war in Japanese hands
10 the northern half of Sakhalin
island Southern Sakhaiin has
been under Japanese jurisdlc-
ton.
Diplomatic timidlty. stupidity
and excess caution lost us the
opportunity. Americans in ap-
proximately 100 Japanese camps
total about 1900 throughout
the Far East.
On BEHALF Of these people,
~ w. 3. Nc Collu m, Albu-
querque, n. NJ. worked two
years in Washington on direct
negotiations with the Soviet
embassy to have captives in
Japan removed 10 Soviet terri
tory, preferably Sakhalin where
Red Cross officials would care
for them.
MCCOllum.s was told to stay
away from the Soviets in WASH
ington. that his personal initia-
tive was not diplomatic protocol.
He accomplished A part of his
task however when he made A
direct appeal 10 Soviet embassy
officials who approved his plan
10 81 nI
through NladivoStok.
Answers are needed for the
reasons which prompted the
state depar rtment. to block
scores Of efforts In behalf Of the
prisoners" Mr.. McCOllum adj
ViSeS me. The unanswered
questions would MI many col
umnS. II war crime commits
sion can he set up to punish war
criminals, the $4,000 people
represent in this endeavor are
set to ask for the trial Of those
In our government who are re-
Sponsible for blocking a full
scale effort for their sons. These
folks won't be stalled much
longer"
7 CONTINUE 10 hope that we
L may use captured Japanese
military diplomats as hostages.
Few weeks ago l.. s. forces in
Europe captured 13l high Japa-
nese officials including Viscount
Hidemaro konoye, with a Japa-
nese girl violinist.
Some OF those Nips we now
feed at A Pennsylvania noun
tain resort, which brings me 10
the visit in Moscow two months
ago of the viScount'S brother.
Prince Fumimaro Konoye, a
; StOOp Shouldered. fence Strad-
ding aSthmatiC compromise dip
lomat. The prince was in the
Red capital on behalf OF that
burr headed son of heaven,
Hirohilo. to negotiate a compro-
mise with Anglo-American-Chi-
nese forces.
The prince is supposed 10 he a
peace loving liberal but i have
never known of a move on his
part 10 improve prisoner of war
conditions. Several Japanese
who escaped from Germany into
Russia were shipped 10 Japan.
Russia, a neutral. could not hold
them for us as hostages
Prince konoye returned 10
Japan to make an unfavorable
report. Evidently the Russians
decided the time was right, that
the Japs were desperate. and
the SoVets entered the war.
T'HE following are entries on
l. the credit side of Russia s
war ledger:
CD The psychological effect.