Evening star., 1945-09-01

ana naval l6dQGIS dIlQ our IIlOSI re-
spected statesman of that time were
partly to blame for the ignominious
disaster at Pearl Harbor which
brought us into the war.
True, the President and the Sec
fetary of War refuse to accept the
Army boards finding with respect
to Gen. Marshall and Secretary
Hull, but they make it public never.
theless. Just what good may be
expected to result is problematical
but there could be no justification
for keeping secret the evidence ano
conclusions of the Army and Navy
boards.
Justice Demanded.
Something will have been accom-
plished If the boards findings re-
suit in the improvement of ou1
whole system of national defense
If, indeed, the demonstrated lack OF
efficient coordination between the
Army and Navy brings about a
merger of the two services. Some
thing further will have been &C
complished if improved co-ordina-
tion results between the depart
ments-or departn1ent-responsible
for national defense and the de-
partment that conducts our foreign
relations.
The immediate demand now, how
ever, is for justice to the men &C
cused of being derelict in their
duty. Gen. Short and Admiral
Kimmel have asked to be tried by
court-martial. Such trial may OF
may not give each the clean bill OF
health to which he feels he is en-
titled. The reports now published
merely place some of the blame or
their superiors, without in the least
absolving Short and Kimmel. They
have suffered severely as a result
of the Roberts report. made i'm
mediately after the Pearl Harbo1
disaster, which caused them to be
relieved of their commands and kept
in idleness throughout the war. If
they want to be tried now in open
court the trials should be held.
1t may be that Admiral Stark
now retired, will want the same
opportunity to defend himself
against the Navy boards report
Like Admiral Kimmel, he has been
held, by the Secretary of the Navy
to be disqualified for "any position
requiring superior Judgment.
What then about Gen. Marshall
and 1t. Gen. Gerow, who, as head
of the War Plans Division, was
bracketed with Gen. Marshall in
the blame given to the high COM
mand. Secretary of War Stimsor
has announced that he finds moth
ing in the evidence to warrant any
further proceedings concerning
Gerow. He defends Gen. Marshall
without reservation. And President
Truman concurs Fundamentally >
Court Martial Unlikely.
These things being true 1t is hardly
to be anticipated that Gen. Marshall
will demand a court-martial to clear
himself of the aspersions in the
Army boards report. In any case
any public trial OF Gen. Short is
certain to be turned into trial OF
Gen. Marshall-Gen. Marshall and
President Roosevelt.
For there is no need for any illu-
sions concerning the animus back
of the renewed clamor of certain
Congressman for these public trials
They want to reach Roosevelt in his
grave. 1t was something of a shock
to them to find that this Army
board, which had the courage to
place blame flatly against the
Army's own Chief of Staff and at 6
time when he was still directing
Allied military operations, had also
the courage to deny the politician:
the satisfaction they were seeking
But given public trials the poll
ticians are certain they can make