Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-08-24
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY estbrook
PegIer

IF | have any ear for the lam
guage of the u. s. A., Rear
Adm. Kimmel is calling Mr..
RooSevelt'S running mate liar
when he writes a letter to Sem
ator Harry Truman saying:
Your innuendo that Gen.
Short and l were not on speak
ing terms Is not true. Your
statements alleging failure 10
cooperate and coordinate our
efforts are equally false"
Any way YOU read that, KIM
mel is accusing Truman Of in
territorial falsehood. He doesn't
say Truman is mistaken or mis-
informed. And when man
trained III tine code of either of
our service academies as Kim
mel was. tells another man mat
he lies that means that he is
willing TO 60 TO the floor with
him.
In this case. Of course. KIM
mel is not expecting fist fight
with Truman but he certainly
does put IT up 10 him TO submit
10 public examination of his
statements and the facts.
THIS is very bold conduct for
an admiral. He knows he is
addressing a man who hopes TO
become vice president OF the
country and who is now a MEM
Der of the Senate.
If there is any precedent for
such impious language TO a sem
stor from an officer OF our
army or navy, I have never
heard of it and you have KIM
mel daring not merely Truman
but President Roosevelt to open
the record and let the public
Judge who was most Al fault IN
the greatest naval disaster in
all history.
He is willing to take his
chances in martial,
knowing that if he were found
guilty he might he disgraced
forever and deprived of his pen
sion.
THE Roberts COMMITTEE which
Mr.. Roosevelt, himself, APP
pointed, 10 make quick survey
Of the case. did not eXonerate
the President, and although IT
was ShrewdlY restricted IN lis
mission so that II could not &C
cuse any OF the high civilians.
its report leaves both The late
Frank Knox. As secretary Of the
navy, and Mr. S0mSon As sec
rotary Of war, in a doubtful
position.
Certainly. in the findings nj
his own commission, the PreSi-
dent as commander IN chief. As
he IS so fond Of calling himself.
must have some responsibility
for the kind Of orders that were
sent to kimmel and 1t. Gen.
Short.
Their orders were 70 take pre-
cautlonary action and 10 avoid
alarm and publicity and the
program which they did adopt
was the only one that could
meet that restriction.
As TO whether they were
"a guilty otherwise Of neglect
or Incompetence, kimmel asks
only A trial in which he can pre-
sent all the evidence and cross
examine witnesses.
In the meanwhile. although
this is very dangerous pollii-
cal issue. Mr.. Roosevelt has had
all the best of the propaganda |
believe this is one of the very
few discussions Of the Pearl
llarbOr Il Saster which has
recognized the possibility that
fair inquiry might blame the
President. himself
Nevertheless. his partner on
the Democratic ticket comes
out with a magazine story again
blaming kimmel and Short, AL
though both men have asked 10
b% tried, and no far Judgment
can be had without such trials.
OF COURSE. the President
" can't he tried. whatever his
error may have been unless YOU
are thinking Of impeachment
which Of course, is out Of the
question.
The Senate could make An
Investigation but there. poll
tics would interfere and the
verdict could not he clear and
conclusive.
But A court-mariial, which
klmmcl continues 10 demand.
could reveal the degree Of the
failure and the error in the
navy department. the war de-
partmcnt and the White House.
To any one who studies the
Roberts report II becomes APP
parent that the committee per-
mtted itself 10 he used for