The Tacoma Times

If We Don't Watch Out

Since United Nations forces have seemed to be holding the advantage in the Pacific many persons assume that the fight is virtually over and expect to hear any day that Hirohito has committed hara-kiri.

But in his new book, "Report From Tokyo," Ambassador Joseph C. Grew pitilessly debunks such premature optimism.

Among other things he says:

"Japan has one great advantage over her enemies in the Far East the advantage of five years hard fighting in the China war. They've paid dearly for it. Estimates of their casualties run as high as a million men. But for this grim price in blood they obtained a proving ground where they could build a tough, veteran army trained in the greatest of all military schools--war itself."

It is a spine chilling picture that Ambassador Grew presents. He shows that the Japanese high command has been studying the strategy of this war for years.

They have obtained accurate information of all areas in the Pacific battle zone. They are not guessing.

"Japan's iron will," said the ambassador, "knows neither gentleness nor mercy. It is utterly ruthless, utterly cruel, utterly blind to any of the values which make up our civilization. The only way to stop that will is to destroy it. If we fail--please mark my words--we pass into slavery and all the world passes into slavery with us."

"That is just another way of saying that even if Hitler and Mussolini crack, there will still be a mighty hard battle ahead of us. It also is a warning that we better stop some of our beefing and kicking and get down to brass tacks on this war business. We can be licked if we don't watch out."