Evening star., 1944-10-21

top secret"-highest naval security
classification.
Mr.. Forrestal Immediately noti-
fled the court of inquiry which pre-
pared the report that he would ask
Admiral King 20 determine how
much OF its findings might endanger
national security if disclosed.
His action came only few hours
after President Roosevelt, saying he
knew nothing about 1t. declined to
discuss Mr.. Mas comments that
the courts report was being delayed
because 1t would be politically
embarrassing to the administra-
ton"
Mr.. Mas has declared that high
officials OF the Government, civilian
and military. knew six hours before
the attack that Pearl Harbor and
the Philippines were to be attacked" !"
but failed to take steps to notify
Admiral Kinmel and Gen. Short
(Maj. Gen. Walter C. Short in ad-
vance Of the attack" Both Admiral
kimmel and Gen. Short, top Army
commander in the Pacific at that
time, were recalled shortly after the
attack because OF alleged dereliction
of duty.
Secretary Forrestal made no mem
ton OF the political controversy in
disclosing, through copy of letter
to Admiral G. Orin Murfin, pres
ldent OF the court, that the report
OF the inquiry had been delivered to
him yesterday. He wrote:
i. You have today handed me
report of the court of inquiry of
which you are president. You have
also handed me the record of the
proceedings before the court. note
that this record and your report
are each in two parts, one of which
you have classified secret and the
other top secret I shall ask Ad-
mlral King to review this record
and this report with a view to de-
termlning how much thereof bears
such a relation to present military
operations as to require that it be
accorded these high security classifi-
cations.
Court to Remain Here.
y, After this report and this rec
ord have been examined and ap-
proved by the Judge Advocate Gen.
eral OF the Navy as to legal form,
they will be Immediately examined
by me. Pursuant to naval regula-
tions, the court of inquiry, in the
meantime. will remain in Washing
ton subject to CALL
While Admiral King is reaching
his determination of the necessity
for security classifications on the
report, Secretary Forrestal and Rear
Admiral Thomas l.. Catch, Judge
advocate general, have other copies
OF the report. it was learned Ad-
miral Catch must pass on its legal
form.
The document itself, under Navy
regulations, constitutes a finding of
fact upon which Secretary Forrestal
must determine whether a court
martial of Admiral Kimmel is neces-
sary. The regulations specify that
proceedings before courts of in
quiry ARE in no sense a trial of an
issue or of an accused person; they
perform no real judicial function;
they are convened solely for the
purpose of informing the convening
authority CMr. Forrestal in this
case), in a preliminary way, as to
the facts involved in the inquiry.
and when directed, to aid him with
opinions and recommendations:
their conclusions are merely ad-
visory"
Case Up to Forrestal.
The convening authority (Mr.
ForrestaD, the regulations continue,
has the responsibility of taking
such further action as he may
deem appropriate, and is empow-
cred to disapprove the courts pro-
ceedings in whole or in part, or to
reconvene the court for revision of
records or rehearing of witnesses if
deemed necessary. 1t was because
OF the possibility of reopening the
courts hearings that it will remain