Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1942-01-29
/ Might Be

by p. G. Strombere

tHE KObERIS kEPCkI on
= the catastrophe at Pearl
Harbor is clear indictment of
a condition" existing in our
armed forces. Admiral Husband
E. Kimmel and General Walter
G.. Short are the unfortunate
victims of the "con-
The dition." Still they
Roberts have grown up
Report with it and been a
part of it. It is
possible that in individual initia-
tive and military ability neither
the General nor the Admiral has
a peer in the army or navy. But
it was coordination and not in
dividual initiative which was
needed at Pearl Harbor during
the weeks Immediately prior to
December Z.
Sad as was the treacherous
loss of life at Pearl Harbor and
disastrous as was the loss of
naval vessels and fighting air
craft, it was more the damage
done American prestige and the
embarrassment suffered by US an
that will make the December 7
episode one of the most import
ant events in American history.
Many of us had been built up in
confidence that the American
navy was our strongest diplo-
matte argument. AND 1T WAS.
Think of what difference there
would have been had General
Short and Admiral Kimmel con-
ferred regarding the imminence
Of attack. Had there been anxi-
GUS alertness instead of SNUG
complacency the story would
have been one of disaster for the
treacherous yellow men. We
would have re-
Our tanned our mastery
Confidence of the Pacific. We
JOlted could have given
far more support to
the heroic efforts of our forces
in the Philippines. The war in
the Pacific might have been
short-lived.
However, the facts are as
found by the Roberts committee.
And the report centers around
facts. No opinions and no effort
to "whitewash" mars its ac-
curacy. 1t is a job done thor
oughly and well. In the long run
it is possible that the Roberts
report might prove to be the
greatest victory in the entire war
because it focuses attention or
the entire nation on this "con-
dition." If, as result of Pear!
Harbor, unified command of all
the armed forces wherever and
whenever all are involved) is
given-the losses of December z
will not have been in vain.
The "condition" is one which
has long been growing up in our
army and navy. Each feels its
superiority. An Admiral and his
high officers have all been i'm
bued with the thought that the
navy works alone. The General
and his high officers are all i'm
bued with the thought that the
army works alone. So it was at
Pearl Harbor. These high officers
have been trained and maintained
at public expense for years.
They are given fine salaries and
live in luxury. But we provide
all this SO that when the occasion
arises we can depend on intelli-
gent and efficient action. In the
cases Of all the
Service officers who had
Pride" any authority in
First the defense of the
Hawaiian Islands
and the patrol Of the Pacific we
have wasted our money and they
their lives because this "condi-
ton" has been permitted to be
come almost the paramount COR
sideration. Not once, apparently,
did these high officers give
thought to the obligation they
owed 130,OOO,0O0 citizens. Nor is
there the slightest evidence that
any man in high position showed
desire to submerge his Service
pride" in the interest Of national
wellbeing.
To the young officers Of both