The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-14
By DrelC Pearson

Dear Afr. Bertranoias:
 Looking ever the Saturday edition of the New York Times l could not help but write this letter lo compliment you for the most excellent way Q, disclosing the sale Those in the know will not ob- jeot to the transaction they arc limited to thote 10 our trade. while laymen probably don't know what the ship h anyway when mentioned singy by your designation in the paper Since the State De- par,ments announcement is SO casual and incidental ! doubt that anybody would take sufficient notice and single out your company
 T have purposely waited until today 10 scrutiniss the papers for any possible reaction but 70 far noh ing has been mentioned Of the sale.
 "It was an excellent way Of handling the diff cult matter in a delicate situation and l wish Co snare the feeling of relief you felt one Hope you had similar luck with your local papers,
 Sincerely your.
 "S. AkabAno.
 "Sakajima Aircraft Company Douglas could not Of course have sold the Dc-4 without permission from the U. s. Army Navy. No only this permission given, but relations between Douglas and the Air Forces were such that Donald Douglass daughter later married the son Of Gen. Hap" Arnold, chief of the Air Forces while the Ar Forces promoted V F. Bertranoias 10 be major general
 When BertrandiaS' name came before the Sen ate Military Affairs Committee for promotion, the Justice Department showed Senators part Of the secret file on his pre-Pearl Harbor activities ln an effort block his nomination. But Army pressure was too strong He was made major general any way
 This coumnsts disclosure Of July TO- 1888, mace one error The price which the Japs were supposed 10 have paid for the DC-4 given as Sl,0OO.OO0. This was a mistake. Douglas gave them a much bet ter bargain, namely s706720 FAS. San Pedro. CThis later increased by the addition of spare parts
 The Japs boasted g!eeiully about this bargain price Jap paper of Nov. 4, 1889. carries picturc of the DC-4 under the caption formerly America biggest now Japans.'
 Built more than year ago at a cost of $40,- 100000" the paper continued, the giant plane wa sold to Japan Airways for s75o0oo complete with plans for It's assembly,
 Another Japanese newspaper account significant ly stated Japan Airways has pot yet decided what to do with this flying bargain" However, it didn't take them long decide. It converted to one oi the most useful planes the Japs had in the entire wal
 The newspaper also stated Transactions fol purchase of the plane were completed last summer before the moral embargo aircraft shipments to Japan was announced by Secretary of State Hull.
 Last summer" meant the summer of 1888. Il was in that same summer July 10, 1888, that this columnist attempted to reveal the sale of the DC-4 but was lied to by Donald Douglas. It was on June IL 1888 that Cordel Hull asked U. s. aircraft man. ufacturers to stop shipments to Japan-a plea that he repeated on July the year that passed before the DC-4 actually was shipped any airplane mara facturer who really wanted to could have called oil the deal.
 Note-The State Department had no legal power to prevent the sale of airpanes only moral suaslon Therefore when Douglas applied for an export H. cense for the DC-4, it was granted