In a nationwide radio address to the American people, Romulo told about the 1,700 civilians "who have been burned to death by the Japs." I wished he had talked about the problems of rehabilitating the nation instead; correspondents have already covered the atrocity stories.

At Santo Tomas, Gene Hotimsky told me he lost his son in Pasay during the Battle of Manila. He mostly kicked against the guerrilleros: "Five Japanese ruled the road to Pasay and went about with complete impunity. Two guerrilleros with pistols could've ambushed them easy." Aye, but with what complications?

Visited Miguel Graemiger this afternoon; Swiss Consul Maurer was there. "Is it true you lost twenty-one men?" I asked him.

"Twenty-two," he corrected, "of which twenty-two were murdered."

"Massacred, you mean," corrected Graemiger.

Maurer was sure the Japanese put them in a shelter and hurled grenades inside.

Graemiger moaned about the loss of his records on dealing with the Japanese and PRIMCO. All of his meticulously kept records and notes were burned.

. . . .

Mrs. Graemiger described Arthur MacArthur as "the world's loneliest boy — even at the Manila Hotel prewar." When the Graemigers were there, the Chinese amah used to plead with her to bring her children along to play with Arthur. Arthur rarely leaves home nowadays — I've only seen him across the street at the Soriano's once — and Manga Avenue is full of kids his age.

Tonight, MacArthur is entertaining ten MPs (probably chosen at random) at his house. I spoke to an intelligent MP with a large forehead and thinning blond hair. Knowing that he had questioned many about Japanese activities in the Philippines, I told him that the Japanese acted decently enough in 1942. He was astonished even though Maurer had told him the same thing three hours earlier. "Good Gosh!" said he. "That's the opposite of what everyone's been telling me." He thought the Japanese had come in looting and kept it up for three years.