Evening star., 1941-12-09
Congress
JOHN r. FARRELL.
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~OsI
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ment just before the committee
recommended a bill, already passed
by the Senate and adopted quickly
by the House today, to freeze" all
enlistments in the Navy for the
duration of the war.
House Members Critical.
His criticism developed when he
sought to learn whether high-rank-
ing naval officers were physically
fit for their jobs. IN that connec-
tion Representative Vincent asked
specifically about Rear Admiral
Thomas Hart, naval commander at
Manila.
I'VE must assume" interposed
Chairman Vinson, that all these
officers have complied with the
physical requirements"
Il assumed" retorted Representa-
tive Vincent, that the boys would
be awake at Hawaii. I assumed
that the boys would patrol every
inch of the waters around Hawaii"
Immediately after the Naval Com
mittee acted on the enlistment
measure, the chairman requested
that a quorum of the committees
Is members remain in Washington
| at all times for the duration of the
war in order to be ready to expedite
any legislation required by the
| Navy.
A tremendously intensified drive
to build warships faster than ever
before in American history to COM
pensate for naval losses and to grid
the Nation for a two-ocean war was
announced by Chairman Vinson,
even before his committee met.
Chairman Vinson declared that
all naval building would be ordered
on a 24-hour basis at once.
Mr. Vinson conferred with Ad-
miral Stark yesterday and later par
ried all questions as to details OF
the damage done by the japanese
at Pearl Harbor, the Nays "Gibral-
tar of the Pacific" 1t was obvious,
however, that he was gravely con-
cerned by what he had learned at
the Navy Department.
Torpedo Planes Used.
From other well-informed sources
it was learned that much of the
damage had been caused by tor
pedo planes, which the United
States Navy invented and which
the British used brilliantly against
the Italian fleet at Taranto.
These tactics impelled many leg
islators to express belief that Ger
man pilots had figured prominently
in the air raids against Pearl Har-
Dor, and one authoritative source
disclosed reports" that some of
the planes involved had borne the
Nazi swastika as we'll as the Jap
anese rising sun" emblem.
1t was conceded by influential
legislators that the casualties in
Hawaii and other American Pacific
outposts had been heavy-perhaps
heavier than any indication thus
far revealed. The White House al
ready has announced that one old
battleship and one destroyer had
been sunk and several other war
vessels damaged.
A possibility that the Japanese
might gain the use of some French
submarines as a result of Nazi pres
sure on the Vichy government was
source of much concern to some
high-ranking legislators who said
French underseas craft already had
left some of their Mediterranean
bases. Japan was understood to
have about 10 submarines in service
and others building, compared to
this country's 112 in service and "A
under construction.
Senator Gillette, Democrat, o1
Iowa said today he had received in
formation from a source found to
be reliable in the past that Hitler
had promised Japan he could obtain
control of the French fleet by next
month and would be able to give the
japanese active military aid by Feb
ruary.
Report Received in October.
Senator Gillette said this informa.
ton came to him from persons who
had reported on October % thai
Japan planned to launch an attack
on the United States either in De.
cember, 194l, or in February, 1912
He said this information wa.
transmitted to the State Depart.
ment, along with a report from th'
same source on November 6, tha
Saburo Kuruso, special Japanes
envoy had been sent to this countr.
at Hitler's instance to gain time TO
preparations for aggressive action.
Most legislators thought that tn,
extent of any military aid Hitle
might give to Japan in furtheranc
of the Axis pact would depen'
largely on whether the Russial
armies were able to continue thei
resistance to the NaZiS.
But any move to make portion
or all of the French feet availabl
to the Japanese was regarded witt
extreme concern in congreSsiona
circles. While reported losses in tn
, Pacific left the United States ia
) s,,nerior tn .Janan in capital shin,