Evening star., 1942-01-25

JUSTICE HOpeIIS, rear AQmltal
en-. Frank Mccoy.
"A. P. Wirephoto.
to be ended, with little likelihood
Of their resumption; that Japanese
action was unpredictable; that hos
tilities on the part Of Japan were
momentarily possible; that In the
event hostilities could not be avoided
the United States desired that this
Nation should not commit the first
overt act; that the department COM
mander was not to be restricted to
any course which would jeopardize
his defense. The message directed
him, even prior to hostile action, to
undertake such reconnaissance and
other measures as he deemed nes-
eSSary, but to carry them out in
such way as not to alarm the civil
population or disclose his intent.
He was directed to restrict the in
formation contained in the message
to the minimum of essential officers,
and to report to the chief Of staff
the measures taken. The purport
Of this message was communicated
by the department commander to
the commander in chief of the
Pacific Fleet.
On the same day CNovember n,
194D the chief Of military intel
ligence sent q message to the In
telligence of1cer on the staff of the
commanding general, Hawaiian De-
partment. directing him to inform
the commanding general and his
chief Of staff that negotiations with
Japan had practically ceased; that
hostilities might enSue and that
subversive activity might be ex-
pected.
Message to Fleet
A Warning of War.
On the same day (November n,
194D the chief Of naval operations
sent q message to the commander
in chief Of the Pacific Fleet, which
stated In substance that the dis
patch was to be considered a war
warning; that the negotiations with
Japan in an effort to stabilize con-
ditions In the Pacific had ended;
that Japan was expected to make
an aggressive move within the next
few days; that an amphibious ex-
pedition against either the Philip.
pines, Thai, or Kra Peninsula, or
possibly Borneo, was indicated by
the number and equipment of Japa-
nese troops and the organization OF
their naval task forces. 1t directed
the execution of a defensive deploy-
ment in preparation for carrying out
war tasks. 1t stated that Guam,
Samoa and continental districts had
been directed to take appropriate
measures against sabotage, and that
a similar warning was being sent
by the War Department. 1t ordered
that the addressee inform naval
district and Army authorities. The
commander In chief of the feet
communicated the purport Of this
message to the general commanding
the Hawaiian Department Of the
Army.
At the time Of our hearing Gen.
Short had no independent recollec-
tion of the last mentioned message,
although he felt that it must have
been shown to him.
November ~, 1941. the command
ing general, Hawaiian Department,
in response to the direction of the
Chief of Staff that he report meas
ures taken, informed the Chief of
Staff that he had alerted his COM
mand against sabotage and that he
was maintaining liaison with the
Navy. No reply referring to this
message was sent by the War De-
partment; but Gen. Short testified
that he considered the adjutant
generals message referred to in the
next succeeding paragraph a reply.
Sabotage Precaution
Ordered on Nov. 28.
November %, 1941. the command
ing general, Hawaiian Department,
received from the adjutant general
of the Army q message stating that
the critical situation required every
precaution to be taken at once
against subversive activities, within
the scope of the Army's RESPONSE
bility: that all necessary measures
be taken to protect military estab-
hshments, property and equipment
against sabotage, against propa-
ganda affecting Army personnel,
and against all espionage. The mes
sage disclaimed ordering any illegal
measures, and warned that protec-
tive measures should be confined to
those essential to security, 50 rs to
avoid unnecessary publicity and
alarm. The message stated that
identic communications were being
sent to all air stations, and on No
vember % the chief Of the Army Air
Forces sent such an identic message
to the commanding general. Hawai-
ian Air Force.
November 20. 1941, the command
ing general, Hawaiian Department,
replied to the last mentioned mes
sage, outlining at length and in de-
tail the measures taken to prevent
sabotage Of military establishments
and property and essential indus
trial and public utility installations.
No reply was sent by the War De-
| partment to this message. Gen.
Short testified that he considered