Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-31
Ample Warning
Given KimneI,
Stark Insists
Says Key OfficioIs
Considered Surprise
Attack Possible
BY j. A. O'LEARY AND
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

The commander of the Pacific
Fleet based in Hawaii when the
japanese attacked Pearl Har-
Dor had received adequate in
formation and directives to be
on guard" Admiral Harold r.
Stark, Chief of Naval Operations
in 1941, told the Pearl Harbor
Committee today.
For almost two years before the
attack, Admiral Stark said, "the
lack of physical resources" and the
danger of war with Japan and a
possible surprise attack on Pearl
Harbor and the methods of meeting
it had been fully considered and
were fully known to Navy officials
in key positions"
70-Page Statement.
The admiral, taking the stand as
the first witness after the COM
mittee's Christmas holiday, pre-
sented 70-page statement in
which he quoted extensively from
his correspondence with Rear Adj
miral Husband E. Kimmel, Pacific
Fleet commander at the time
of Pearl Harbor, and Admiral (now
SENATOR Thomas c. Hart, COM
mander OF the Asiatic feet.
In a letter to Admiral Hart on
November 7, l941, month before
the Hawaiian bastion was bombed,
Admiral Stark wrote:
Events are moving rapidly to-
ward showdown, both in the At
lantic and in the Pacific. The Navy
is already in the war in the At
lantic, but the country doesn't seem
to realize it. Apathy, to the point
of open opposition. is evident in
considerable section of the press.
First Opportunity To Reply.
Meanwhile, the Senate is drag
ging out the debate with reference
to the arnling Of the merchantmen.
Whether the country knows it or
not, We are at war;
The correspondence also disclosed
that President Roosevelt gave in
structions May %, 1941, that an ex-
petition be ready to sail in 80 days
and take the Azores.
On November 81. 1941, 10 days be-
fore the attack on Pearl Harbor.
DR.. Stanley K. Hornbeck, State De-
partment adviser on Far Eastern af-
fairs, predicted in a memorandum
to the Secretary of State that "the
Japanese government does not de-
sire or intend or expect to have
forthwith armed conflict with the
United States"
| This memorandum was one of the
new exhibits placed in the record
today by committee counsel. With
it were other documents written by
DR.. Hornbeck in 1910, urging reten-
ton of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl
Harbor.
Admiral j. o. Richardson, who
was fleet commander in 1910, OPP
posed basing the Pacific Fleet in
Hawaiian waters, feeling it would be
better to keep it on the West Coast.
When he was on the stand last
month he testified that he had
feeling in 1910 that DR.. Hornbeck
had more influence over the dis
position of the fleet than he did.
Odds Quoted Against War.
In memorandum dated Septem-
Der 81, 1910, to Under Secretary
Welles, DR.. Hornbeck said, "as you
know, I have contended constantly
and consistently during recent
months that the situation in the Far
East having been and being what
it is the most advantageous point
at which to hold our feet is Pearl
Harbor"
DR.. Hornbeck's estimate of the
situation on November ~, 1941, came
the day after Secretary Hull had
handed the japanese ENJOYS what
turned out to be the final American
offer in the peace negotiations. In
this November 81 memorandum DR..
Hornbeck continued:
$50 far as relations directly be-
tween the United States and Japan
are concerned there is less reason
today than there was a week ago
for the United States to be appre-
hensive lest Japan make war on
this country. Were it a matter of
placing bets, the undersigned would
give odds of five. to one that the
United States and Japan will not
be at war on or before December
Is (the date by which Gen. cit. Gen.
Leonard t. Gerow has affirmed that
we would be in the clear so far as
consumption of certain disposals of
our forces is concernedD; would
wager three to one that the United
States and Japan will not be at war
on or before the 18th of January
de. seven weeks from now; would
wager even money that the United
States and Japan will not be at
war on or before March l "a date
more than 80 days from now, and
after the period during which it
has been estimated by our strateg-
lists that it would be to our adj
vantage for us to have time for
further preparations and dis
poSals) -.
TodayS appearance was Admiral
Stark's first opportunity to reply
publicly to the sharp criticism Of
him contained in the report of the
Navy Pearl Harbor Court of Inquiry.
The court held that the Chief Of
Naval Operations failed to display
the sound judgment expected Of
(See PEARL HARBOR. PAGE A-5)
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