The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-10-28
Probe of War
Likely After
Election
Sentiment Grows
In Congress For
Investigation

Washington. Oct 2s-INS-Senti.
ment for a full scale investigation
into the conduct OF the war, 10 be
held after the elections, has been
growing in Congress over the past
three weeks, 1t can be stated fac
tually today.
Members are saying little pub
licly, but in private conversations
in the Senate end House cloak
rooms, they have expressed mUIe
dissatisfaction with the whole mill
tary picture than at any time since
Pearl Harbor.
Loss OF the offensive in the Sol
onions has served mainly as thu
fuse for this discomfort, but the
temper OF Congress has become
slowly and increasingly nettled
by a number OF incidents, most Of
them to do with the secrecy which
has been employed by the War ard
Navy Departments concerning &C
tual military operations.
One Outburst
Because Congress has tenaciou ;.
ly observed a hands off" policy 40
far as direct conduct OF the war
is concerned, there has been only
one outburst to date.
This came from one OF the quie.-
est members OF the House, Rep.
John NJ. Costello. a California Dem
ocrat and member Of the House
Military Affairs Committee, who
bluntly accused the Navy OF run
ming a "grandstand campaign" in
the Solomons that Ignored tho
Army's air and ground forces.
However, it must be said that
Costeilo's speech was mild in tone
compared to the tenor OF the re.
marks which congressman have
Eeen exchanging, both betN cen
themselves and with newspaper
men.
Bulk Of the criticism has been
directed at what members clam
is lack OF unified command in
the Solomons where the battle has
spread over territory controlled
both by Admiral Chester Nimitl.
operating from Pearl Harbor, and
General Douglas Macarthur. with
headquarters 1000 miles away n
Australia.
Put in Mood
Other incidents which have put
Congress in the mood to investi-
gate include:
J. The two-months' delay IN an
nouncing the loss Of three 4. $.
cruisers, although Australia. whiln
had cruiser sent to the bottom
in the same engagement, disclosed
its setback after 10 days
2 The failure TO announce that
all flyers who had participated ir
the Tokyo raid had not returned
g. The disinclination OF the War
and Navy Departments TO keep
ranking members OF the Military
and Naval Affairs Committees OF
both houses fully informed on ths
progress Of the war and the pessi-
mistlc reports made privately TO
the legislators by friends In tho
Army and the Navy
4 The disQuietng reports
brought back from the Pacific
theater by four members OF Con
gress who have served with the
armed forces there-Rcps. Lyndon
Johnson ID Tex. Eugene Worlcy
CD Tex. Warren g. MagnusoE
CD) Wash. and Melvin Mas (R)
MINI.
Added to all this is the belief in
Congress that the official Army and
Navy communiques withhold com
plcte Information on the progress
OF the various campaigns. Not
that the announcements OF the
Army and Navy are not true-but
that they do not give all the story.
The contents OF the communiques
has been the subject OF continuous
discussion in the past three weeks.
with most members contendins
that complete disclosures are more
important to American morale than
any other single thing.