JAPAN: Tojo Rides Again

Each morning at sunrise Japan’s most importantsitting-down soldier, Premier General Hideki Tojo, rides Tokyo’sstreets for half an hour. Policeman Ono was overcome with trepidationone morning as the General dismounted before his box and thanked himfor guarding the capital’s matutinal peace.

Last week General Tojo heard that parts of Tokyo were threatened with afish shortage. To the fish market he rode. He fingered two suspiciousspecimens and inquired: “Are these still edible?” Then the Premierasked the fishmongers the real reason for the shortage. Lack of oil forJapan’s motor-powered fishing boats, he was told. “Oil!” exclaimedGeneral Tojo. “Why not get up earlier and work harder?”