Evening star., 1945-11-23

to meet the Premier of Japan 1t
was felt that in view Of the factors
mentioned, the President could 60 to
such a meeting only If there were
first obtained tentative commits
ments offering some assurance that
the meeting could accomplish good.
Neither Prince Konoye nor any of
Japans spokesmen provided any
thing tangible"
Services Kept Informed.
On December 6, the day before
the Pearl Harbor attack, Mr.. Hull
related, this Government received
from number of sources reports OF
the movement of a Japanese fleet Of
IS transports, 8 cruisers and 20 de-
stroyers toward the Kra Peninsula.
This" Mr.. Hull said, was con-
firmation that the long g-threatened
Japanese movement of expansion by
force to the south was under way
The critical character of this de-
velopment, which placed the United
States and all its friends in COM
mon imminent danger. was very
much in all our minds and was an
subject in my conferences
with the representatives of the
Army and Navy on that and the
following day"
That same day, December 6, the
President telegraphed his personal
appeal to the Emperor of Japan to
avert "the tragic possibilities" OF
the situation.
Throughout the critical years
eliminating in Pearl Harbor." Mr.
Hull told the committee, 'and espe-
cially during the last months, the
President, the Secretary Of State
the Secretary OF War, the Secretary
of the Navy and the heads of our
armed forces kept in constant touch
with each other. There was the
freest exchange Of information anc
views"
Saw No Reason for Reading.
During the discussion Of whether
Mr.. Hull's statement should be read
Senator George, Democrat, Of
Georgia, said he had read it care.
fully and read portions of it sec.
ond time and he saw no reason
to have 1t publicly read.
Senator Brewster, Republican, O.
Maine, said he also had read 1t, hae
been deeply impressed by 1t ane
felt it would not be showing such
a historic statement proper respect
not to have it read. Senator Fergu.
son, Republican. of Michigan, con.
CURED in tbis view.
Representative Gearhart, Repub.
lican. of California, commented tha
"Mr. Hull was one of the chic
actors in one of the greatest period!
in our history" adding that thi
statement was not only for tn,
committee, but for the whole coun
try and it should be given tn,
respect Of being read. Representa-
tive Keefe. Republican. of Cali
fornia, agreed.
The other Democratic members
Senator Lucas of Illinois and Rep
resentatives Cooper of Tennessee
Clark Of North Carolina and Muir
ply of Pennsylvania-voted agains
having it read.
Frank Walker May Testify.
Meanwhile, there were indication
that former Postmaster Genera
Frank Walker may be a wit
ness later. He told reporters in New
York early in the week he had takei
some part in the conversations MI
Hull described today. Mr.. Wake
is not on the list of witnesses. bu
Senator Lucas said he thought h
would be called.
The former Postmaster General
name came into the japanese ex
change of messages on August 7
1941.
At that time, Nomura and Kurusr
the peace ambassadors, feportin
T to Tokyo. safd the oecupatf6n 50
French Indo-C China had caused
break-off in the negotiations an
made the American officials returl
to their original opinion with ne
gard to Japan" 90 s,...-. -.
The message said further:
Last night the Secretary (Hull
expressed his deep disappointment
to me. According to the Postmaste
General, this disappointment on tn
part of the Secretary was all tn
deeper because he had been so yer
interested In improving the rela
tons between Japan and the Unite
| States.
In Embarrassing Spot.
81 have already reported that Sec
retary Hull and his very good frien
Walker were put on an exceedingl
embarrassing spot in their relation
| with their Cabinet colleagues"
On August Is, Nomura message
Tokyo that he had tried to intere.
member of the cabinet who We
intimately associated with the Sci
retary of State" in helping to al
range a conference between Pres
dent Roosevelt and Prince Konoy
the Japanese Premier, but adde
that the cabinet member al:
showed little interest in the subject
The cabinet member was not name
In Japan recently, Kurusu to
newSmen that a member of tn
American cabinet and another il
f1uential but unofficial America
worked closely with the Japanes