Evening star., 1944-12-02

recommendations as it might deem
proper.
This Army Pearl Harbor Board
has conducted an extensive and
painstaking investigation. 1t has
held hearings in Hawaii, San Fran
cisco, and Washington. 1t has ex-
amined a total of Isl witnesses and
received many exhibits. I have read
its report and reviewed the re-
corded evidence. The judge advocate
general of the Army, at my direc-
ton, has also examined the report
and the record and has given me
fully the benefit of his views.
Cites Importance of Decision.
I recognize the Importance to any
individual concerned of having a
decision taken as to what, if any,
action is to be instituted against
him and, after weighing all the con-
siderations, am clear that the pub
lie interest as well as justice and
fairness will best be served by a
statement of my present conclusions.
So far as they now may be made
public, consonant with the public
interests, my conclusions are as
follows:
The Army Pearl Harbor Board, al
though it recommended no discip-
linary or other action, concluded
that there were several officers in
the field and in the War Depart
ment who did not perform their du-
ties with the necessary skill or exer-
else the judgment which was re-
quired under the circumstances. On
the recorded evidence, I agree with
some but not all of the boards con-
clusions.
So far as the commanding general
of the Hawaiian Department is con-
cerned, I am of the opinion that his
errors of judgment were of such a
nature as to demand his relief from
a command status. This was done
on January IL, 1912. and in itself is
a serious result for any officer with
a long record of excellent service,
and conscientious as I believe Gen.
Short to be. In my judgment on
the evidence now recorded, it is
sufficient action.
Investigations Will continue.
Furthermore, / am satisfied that
proper steps were taken to correct
such inadequacies of either per-
sonnel or organization as were
shown to exist either in the War
Department or in the field at the
time of the Pearl Harbor disaster.
My conclusion is that under all the
circumstances the evidence now re-
corded does not warrant the insti-
tuition of any further proceedings
against any officer in the Army.
In accordance with the opinion of
the judge advocate general. I have
decided that my own investigation
should be further continued until all
the facts are made as clear as pos
sible and until the testimony of
every witness in possession of ma
terial facts can be obtained. and I
have given the necessary directions
to accomplish this result.
Some of the testimony may be
much delayed where witnesses are
engaged in combat in active thea
ters of operation. My present de-
cision will be reviewed when the in
vestigation has been finally COM
pleted.
Finally, am absolutely clear that
it would be highly prejudicial to the
successful prosecution of the war
and the safety of American lives
to make public during the war the
report of the Army Pearl Harbor
Board or the record On which it is
based.
Statement on Col. Wyman.
Statement as to Col. Theodore
Wyman, jr., and certain others:
I have today made separate
statement of my conclusion on the
basis of the evidence now recorded
not to institute further proceedings
against any officer of the Army in
respect to the Pearl Harbor disaster.
The Military Affairs Committee of
the House of Representatives, by
report of June IA, 1914, called atten-
ton to certain relationships of Hans
Wilhelm Rohl to military construc-
ton in Hawaii under the direction of
Col. Theodore Wyman, jr.. district
engineer, and indicated that this
may have contributed to the Pearl
Harbor catastrophe. Accordingly,
the phases of the committee report
bearing thereon were -referrd to the
Army Pearl Harbor Board for fur
ther investigation.
I have reviewed the results of
this investigation. I do not find
from this review that the Pearl Har-
Dor disaster was in any way con-
tributed to or caused by any alleged
misconduct, neglect or disloyalty on
the part of Rohl, the FWvaiian con-
structors, the organization with
which he was connected, Col. Wy
man, or others directing conStrlc-