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Mr. Sato and Sergeant Yoshitoki are not alone in their disillusionment over China. One of our illustrious generals who held wartime command in China, has recently returned from a postwar, political, coercive visit to China, and he, too, has returned cursing and heaping imprecations on the Generalissimo's Government. Oh! Cathay, Cathay, that killest the prophets (axegrinders), and stonest them which are sent unto thee --- To return to quarantine - - It was my practice to go down below decks and speak to a Chinese doctor whom I had known in pre "Incident" days and who was assisting the Japanese medical men in their inspection. After much searching I found him, but I could see he was ill at ease. He kept looking around obviously watching to see if he were being observed by his colleagues, the Japanese. I sensed my presence was de trop, so I withdrew and went back to my cabin. I wondered what the matter could be as he had never acted so strangely before. I tried to analyze the situation. The Japanese knew we always talked awhile together each trip. They knew we had known each other years before their entry into Canton. What was his reason for wishing to avoid speaking to me? Why was he afraid of being seen in my company? Then, it seemed inexplicable, but now I know. He knew that in actuality he was breaking the precious Japanese military code by speaking to a military prisoner! At that moment the Japanese bombers were up on the flight deck of their carrier being serviced for their strike on Honolulu! The Chinese doctor was "in the know," - and I was the gullible fool, - the "peace in the Pacific" addict. To the Chinese doctor my compatriots and I were already "in the bag." At the first streak of dawn on the morning of December 8th, 1941 I was up. In the U.S. it was December 7th still. I was feeling disturbed in my mind and knew something was going to happen. The ship was quiet. Nothing was moving on the river. Suddenly the chug, chug of a motor became audible. I looked out from my cabin and could discern a long gray launch moving along the opposite riverbank. It contained Japanese soldiers in full battle dress. There was no doubt. This was IT. The fear, the premonition I had had for the past twenty years was being fulfilled. Only a few more seconds of
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