Evening star., 1945-11-27
Hull Calls Criticism Hnfumous,
Says Bowing to Jap Aggression
Would Have Been 'CowordIy'
AssoiIs Theory U. S.
Forced Peuce-Minded
TOTO Into War
BY J. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Striking back for the first time
at the criticism of him in the
Army Inquiry Boards Pearl Har-
Dor report, former Secretary ot
State Cordell Hull today de-
scribed as Infamous" the state.
ment that he touched the but.
ton that started the war"
He told the congressional Pear
Harbor Committee that I'VE would
have been towards" if the United
States had yielded to the japanese
program of aggression.
He drew smiles from the crowd in
the committee room when he re-
marked that, ''If I could express my
self as 7 would like, I would want
all of you religious-minded persons
to retire from the room"
Mr.. Hull was near the end of his
third appearance when Senator
Lucas, Democrat, of Illinois invited
him to make any comment he cared
to on the criticism of him in the
Army report.
Sent Data to Army Board.
Were you a witness before that
board?" Senator Lucas asked.
Il was not" Mr.. Hull replied. 81
sent some little data to the board
and informed them I would be glad
to appear, but they sent word they
would not need my presence"
Did thty ask you for any data
on the 10-point program in your
final note to Japan?" the Senator
continued.
INC" was the terse reply.
Mr.. Hull said he tried to cooper
ate with the Army board and then
I was gratuitously brought into it,
apparently on the theory that TOTO
and the military group that were
cooperating with Hitler were not
guilty Of doing so, but that this Gov
ernment of peaceful people, with
no preparations In the Pacific and
with no two-ocean Navy. forced war
on peace-minded Tojo."
II sat under this Infamous charge
for months" the former Secretary
continued, when every minded
person knew the Japs were on the
march in the Pacific. Yet some
oy,a ryIo L,,or,c 1;ff1a o,,J oarac Loco
says, why didn't the United States
make concessions and save the
people from war, when any rational
person knows the Japs had started
on this attempt and nothing could
stop them unless we should lay
down like towards, and We would
have been towards"
Chairman Barley reminded Mr.
Hull he had completed an hour OF
testimony. The crowd applaudeo
him again.. as it has on previous
days, when he left the room. The
committee has restricted his ap-
pearances to brief periods out OF
consideration for his impaired
health.
Sought C0ntrOl OF racine.
Japan's last Ambassador before
the war, Admiral .Nomura, and the
special envoy, Saburo Kurusu, were
sent to this country instructed tc
persuade the United States to aban-
don her doctrines and policies and
yield entire control of the Pacific
beyond Hawaii" Mr., Hull told the
committee.
Whether they knew their govern
ment planned to attack Hawaii OF
any other American possession is
something no one knows, Mr.. Hull
said, adding:
II think these gentlemen must
have been morally certain their gov
ernment was going on with its mill
tary movement"
Mr.. Hull expressed these beliefs
after Representative Cooper, Demo-
crat, of Tennessee, asked for his
estimate of the two Japanese en-
voys.
Talked of Explosive Situation"
Mr.. Hull pointed out that the
two ENJOYS constantly had talked
Of the explosive situation" in the
Pacific and had predicted that
something awful" might happen
and in view of those statements, it
was to be assumed they knew their
government would not turn back
from its policy of aggression.
"As to whether they knew when
or where an attack was to be Anade,
the white-haired statesman added
Il don't know. Or whether they
knew Pearl Harbor was to be at
tackled. They may have known
They may not have known"
When President Roosevelt re-
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