The Ypsilanti daily press., 1946-01-21
.Homma Had Objected
TO Aid From Chinese

OF problems Irritating the japanese
in occupied areas (of China)." He
referred to defeating" the UniteG
States TO halt American aid. which
OF course was negligible, as means
OF crushing China. He blamed
American support for Chinese re-
sistance TO japanese military ac-
I tions.
The Generals prophetic state
ment bore Imperial weight. knew
he was a former personal aide to
Prince Chichibu, the Emperor's eld-
est brother. The General had been
appointed commander OF japanese
troops In North China through the
influence OF the Imperial Palace
advisers in Tokyo.
During the interview the Gen
eral boasted that he had the Brit.
ish government cowed, but he was
angry over a protest from the small
but active American Chamber or
Commerce In Tientsin whose mem
bers had objected to Japanese in
reference in the import-export
trade. Through Tientsin, for ex-
ample. General Homna had tight.
ened commercial transactions and
exchange restrictions on big ship
ments of hides which normally
moved TO the st. Louis market. All
trade was being damned up by
Japanese military barriers.
General Homma called the Amer.
lean attitude "insincere and lacking
in proper understanding.
The British government, on the
other hand, tolerated Japanese in.
suits. General Homma's carpetbag.
gers erected barbed wire barbados
and detention stations where arro-
giant Japanese soldiers would
search anyone entering or leaving
Tientsin. These troops probably
were the same forces General HON
ma took with him to Manila where
they beat. bayoneted and tortured
the Americans on their long forced
walk to Camp O'Donnell in the
Philippines.
After the attacks on the British
residents of Tientsin. which IN
cluded the slapping and kicking OF
women and men. the British gov
ernment, through It's ambassador
in Tokyo, Sir Robert Craigie, capitu-
lated to the Japanese with an un-
derstanding that His Majesty's
government in London would In.
struct Its Representatives In China
to refrain from any acts which
would in effect obstruct the Japa-
nese army's invasion and occupa-
ton of China.
A few months later. the British
bowed again, automatically, when
they agreed TO japanese demands
to close the Burma road for three
months. Supplies for the Chinese
government had been moving over
the snake-like road from British
controlled Rangoon.
In the negotiations I observed
Ave important personalities. all OF
whom are now back In the news
dispatches, with one OF them rum
ored 10 show up in Washington.
(l) The present Japanese foreign
minister, Shigeru Yoshida who was
before the war. and is today, an
expert at playing protocol games
With the British. He Is at II again.
in 1916. in Tokyo. seeking to split
American and British views on the
control Of Japan. (2) The then for
eign minister, Hachiro Arita. a
European-trained Japanese diplo-
mat who got Sir Robert to
transit the arguments to Lon
don. Arita has been Jailed. t3)
Sir Roberts advisor, Maj. Gen. F.
s. C. Piegott, military attache 10
the British .bassy in Tokyo.
Both Britishers were rated as out
right appeasers in the diplomatic
circles OF Tokyo. On the outside,
but always available to break a
deadlock and with influence in
Anglo-Japanese court circles was
az Prince Chichibu, the EmperOr's
brother. The Prince, while an Ok.
ford student in England became