The highlight of today's Tribune is from Toshio Shiratori, Ex-Ambassador to Italy: "If by any miracle our God-given-land should be defiled by alien war-mongers, that time would be the hour of death of the entire 100,000,000 souls." He expects mass suicides just like Saipan.

FLASH: Rumania out of the war; Marseilles taken. The communiqués from the German High Command do not mention Paris, Marseilles, Grenoble or Rumania, but sound like typical Japanese communiqués: "The enemy is rapidly following our movement of disengagement."

Two or three evenings ago, the Japanese brought some of their Davao wounded to Manila, rushing them to a building at the back of St. Luke's Hospital [Nippon Hospital]. It's an integral part of the hospital, but off-limits to Filipino nurses and doctors. The Japanese have been taking plenty of gauze, bandages and other supplies from the main building to the secret annex that everyone knows about. The Filipino doctors would have liked to get a first-hand look at the effects of bombing from a medical standpoint.

La Vanguardia informs us that we should not suspend our normal activities during the Drill. The Mayor says we can "transit areas not guarded by soldiers." So why not tell us in advance what districts, sections or streets are affected? As it is, Manila has practically called a strike. All Swiss houses and many other companies will remain closed. We'll all stay home for a few days. The wiser families have already purchased food for several days, sending prices soaring again.