Complex Routine Set
Pattern for Downfall
Of General Staff
(This concludes the articles written by Yoshiko Seki on the
last days of the Japanese Empire.)
By YOSHIKO SEKI
The Imperial Japanese General Staff was a massive organiza
tion of levels, classes and clans. It was composed of military
officers, both commissioned and non-commissioned, and civilian
officials who were divided into two categories; higher civil ser
vice officials and junior officials or the clerical staff.
The higher civil service omciais
were exclusively those who had
passed the higher civil service
examination after having gradu
ated from the government estab
lished universities. Graduates of
private colleges and universities
were disregarded, a trend to be
found in Japanese government
circles generally. Thus a clannish
faction always dominated there,
which naturally affected promo
tion. Those of the same clan were
likely to be promoted, and others
received little recognition. It was
l'pallv bureaucratic.
Class Feeling
One predonfinant characteristic
of the government office was the
class feeling between higher civil
service officials and junior officials
or the clerical staff. The same
thing was true of the General Staff
members who were graduates of
the Military College, and non-staff
officers who were graduates of the
Military Academy.
The presence of any General
Staff member in a room brought
about an air of dignity or high
acclamation. Coming back from
official tours to the South Sea
island then occupied by Japan, the
General Staff members never for
got to bring something back as a
jsolivenir to bestow upon their
superiors. Such being the case,
General Staff members were never
short of sugar, cigarettes, and oth
er things which the Japanese peo
ple lacked.
Moreover, a ridiculous Army
rule prohibited feminine workers
at the General Staff from appear
ing in gay apparel and make-up.
Once a week women employees
were forced to attend lessons in
Japanese style sewing, tea cere
mony, and flower-arrangement, as
if these subjects were necessary at
that stage of the war. They called
this education military dicipline.
All this was taking place during
supposedly the most difficult and
busiest time for the General Head
quarters. Thus wasting precious
time, we went on the way that
gradually led to our downfall.
Punctuality Demanded
Salutation to one’s superiors had
to be observed without fail. Besides,
there was one thing in particular
which was strictly enforced. That
was punctuality. However, that did
not apply to the time of leaving
the office, but only to the hour of
entering. The overtime work was
not counted. The employees who
were late had to sign their names
at the gate, and later the paper
was passed around so that they
would be shamed. This was mere
ly one phase of the nonsensical
ultraformalism executed in that
office.
For 13*2 months while I was
there- almost daily for the latter
half of the year—we had to run
down the stairs to the underground
air raid shelter whenever the siren
sounded. The tunnel led to a very
finely furnished room, fully equip
ped to house government offices.
Perhaps a thousand of us were
under this one government build
ing at once.
(Allied bombing of Japan in
cveased following t#ie surrender
of Germany In May, 1845. The Al
lied forces hail practically com
pleted the encirclement of Japan
by that spring. The Philippines had
been recovered, and heavy fighting
was In progress on Okinawa, on
the doorstep of the Japanese home
islands. Ed. Note)
liong Hours in Shelter
Sometimes we were down in the
shelter for two or three hours and
while the men were on look out
duty, we girls took our own knit
ting, sewing and reading with us.
These air raids, having delayed
our routine office work .meant late
hours. No matter how late we were
kept in the office, we were to ap
pear at 8 a.m. the following morn
ing.
About 8:30 one winter evening,
while I was going home with an
escort-—usually girls found offic
ers going home in the same direc
tion—an air raid warning came
just as we approached the railway
station. My heart pounded, as I
knew a moving object was sure to
attract the bombers. Fortunately,
the attack must have been in an
other part of Tokyo.
There were two kinds of air
raid sirens; the preliminary warn
ing, a long, drawn-out wail, and
then the sharp, staccato hrieks
signifying “Planes Overhead.”
I got so weary of running to the
air’ raid shelter that I would watch
the actual attack. Once, as I was
going out of my home to enter the
underground shelter in our front
yard, an explosive shell from one
of the planes which were machine
gunning the city, fell right at my
feet. Even though it was a dud, I
dashed for the shelter, shaking
in my boots in terror.
Practical Clothes
My everyday clothes were Wes
tern ski pants, blouse and Sweater,
and a hood well-padded to protect
my head in the underground tun
nels. No skin could be exposed even
in the hottest part of the summer
because of the danger from flying,
white-hot fragments of incendiary
bombs. When the girls had to run
through the fire they dipped their
hoods in cold water and put them
on wet to protect their heads and
faces. Gloves made of leather com
pleted the outfit.
Never shall I forget the sight of
the city in flames at night, and the
awful trapped feeling I would get
watching the spreading crimson in
the skies. But that is all past. I do
not have such dreams any longer
and they are gradually fading into
memories.
Family Remains in Home
My family still lives in my home,
which was damaged by air raids,
though homes a few yards away
were ruined. This time of year the
weather is similar to that in Ore
gon. The first frosts came late in
November, and snow comes in Jan
uary.
I a ninow a student in the Univer
sity of Oregon and am learning how
my American neighbors live. I have
close friends at Stanford, Colum
bia, Mills, and Michigan, and our
sincere hope is to be able to put
demorcarcy to work in our own
country.
Ride 'Em!
isismimsssmsissm
liOUKO —sonjiv millin',
18, will reign as queen of the 11th
annual Paint Springs, Calif., win
ter rodeo, which will touch off the
1951 "Wild West" season.
As It Was Six Months Ago
JUST SIX MONTHS AGO, the new Science Building looked like the picture above. Taken in July, 1950,
the foundation for the building had just been laid. Construction now has raised the building three stories,
with the permanent shape easily recognizable. Located across University from the Journalism building,
the new science building is expected to be ready for classes when school opens in September. Students pre
sently taking science in McClure, Deady, and other campus buildings will be moved to the new build
ing. McClure will eventually be razed to make way for the new school of journalism building.
Do You Know a Rumor—
when you hear one7
During the war we knew enough to
mistrust rumors and particularly
knew how dangerous it was to
spread them. We knew then that
rumors affected our unity, and
Unity was vital to winning the war.
But perhaps we don’t know that
rumors are just as dangerous today
as they were during the war.
Because — rumors about other
groups, other religions and other
races always threaten our national
unity—without which we cannot
hope to survive.
Be an active citizen—help keep
your country strong, united and
secure—a good place in which men
can live together, prosper together
and pursue happiness together.
Make sure that you are not spread
ing rumors against a race or reli
gion. Speak up, wherever" you are,
against prejudice, and work for
* better understanding. Remember
that’s being a good American.
Accept or reject
people on their
individual worth