Cinema: Smoke Screen

Into New Orleans last week, on an "unofficial" mission of great importance, bowed goggling little Kaju Nakamura, U. S.-educated professional Japanese gladhander, onetime member of the Japanese Imperial Diet. His mission: to explain Japan and the Japanese to the U. S. public. Smiling with bland and magnificent unction, the honorable gentleman immediately proceeded to clarify Japan's attitude on a matter that still rankles mightily in U. S. memories.

"Many of the scenes in the moving pictures of the Panay sinking," he cackled, "were faked in American waters." Then, with reporters too amazed to ask him which of the grimly bloody scenes he referred to, he went on to astound them even more.

"There is one mystery we haven't solved in Japan yet," mused he. "The mystery of the smoke-screen that veiled the Panay during the bombing so our airplane pilots could not distinguish her American flag. Those bombers thought they were bombing fleeing Chinese."

Having thus explained Japan, the Japanese and the Panay incident (TIME, Dec. 20, et seq.) to the New Orleans press, the Hon. Kaju Nakamura was ready to bow his visitors out. But on the smoke-screen point they pressed him vigorously, recalling that sharp U. S. eyes had brought back reports of Japanese bombers wheeling down out of a clear, bright winter sky. Fenced the Hon. Nakamura, grinning toothily, "This is my story, and I'm sticking to it."