The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-23


 predecessor of Admiral Husband l f Kimmel in Hawaii, continued ol r the stand. if Sen. Homer Ferguson, R., Mich, t began questioning after RichardsorE explained to the committee that heC had not had an opportunity to verify the evidence in officiaE records" regarding dispatches be-y tween himself and Admiral HaroldS R. Stark. Then Chief of Naval operations, concerning the Army "alert" in Hawaii in the spring of 1940. The alert figured in testi- mony yesterday.
 Richardson asked the committee to withhold judgment on the sub ject until he can search for the original records.
 Ferguson referred to a memoran- dunn written by Naval planning of f1cers on Oct. 16, 1940. After con- versations in Washington with President Roosevelt and Navy and State Department officials.
 Richardson said the memoran- dun was delivered to Admiral Thomas c. Hart. Then commander of the Asiatic fleet and now Re- bulican Senator from Connecticut.
 Fleet Disposition Planned
 It set forth plans for fleet dis positions in the Western Pacific in view of the opening of the Burma Road by Great Britain on Oct. IT. Ferguson asked if 1t represented ia fair statement" of what Secre- , tary of the Navy Frank Knox had said at conference on Oct. 10. Richardson replied that it repre- sented assumptions" based on that conSersa tion.
 The memorandum said that the United States was prepared to &C., cept war" If Japan retaliated by undertaking war.
 Richardson explained that during his visit with Knox he was told that the President was considering, in connection with possible retalia- tion measures Japan might take against Great Britain when the Burma Road was opened
 (a) Reinforcement of the Asiatic fleet "aS a peacetime measure"
 (b) Declaring a complete embargo on Japanese trade to and from the Americas. Co Attempting to stop all trade between Japan and the Americas He also told how the President envisioned creation of two patrol lines-one from Honolulu westward to the Philippines and a second roughly from Samoa to Singapore.
 Suggestions were Impractical
 He said the '.impracticability" of these and other suggestions had been outlined to Knox.
 o. (By Ferguson) Did vie have any conveys in the Pacific while you were in command? A. Only on one occasion was single ship con- voyed by ship under my cam mand-from Pearl Harbor to Guam, from Guam, to Cavite by ship un- der the command of Admiral Hart -on return 1t was conveyed in a like manner.
 ship? A. My memory is not clear. I believe 1t was the Chaumont.
 Richardson testified that he re- ceived orders to escort the ship to Guam, wait for her return from Cavite and escort her back to pearl Harbor. He guessed" the date was December, 1940.
 Richardson said "it was rumored that there were German raiders operating in the Pacific area within the Marshall Islands or north of Richardson thea was asked how Admiral Husband E. Kimmel came to succeed him.
 Seniority Explained
 He said Kimnel was on that list along with four or five others he suggested as successors.
 o. Was seniority recognized in the Navy as in the Senate - that next in line would have your posi- tion? A. Seniority is recognized in the Navy in the assignment of of- ficerS up to and including captains. But in the selection of officers in flag assignments, effort is made to base assignment on ability.
 e. How long of notice did you have that you were going to be re- moved? A. I received dispatch on Jan. 5, 1941.
 Q. When was the first public re- lease that you were to be detached? A. My recollection is it was on Jan. or T. I read it in news papers in Hawaii.
 Q. Can you tell us something about the duty Con the Navy board)? Was this a promotion you were going to? I reverted from the rank of admiral to rear admir- al, and I reverted to my normal position on the Navy list.
 Bore No Resentment to F.D.R.
 Rep. John w. Murphy, D., Pa. queried Richardson on his statement yesterday, that the President had said the United States would not go to war even if the Philippines were attacked. He asked if Rich ardson were sure" the President had said that.
 That's according to my firm con- viction-my best opinion and be- lief, the witness answered.
 Richardson said he told Knox on Oct. 10 that we were not ready for war.
 'The Secretary said to me Richardson, we've never been ready and we've always won."
 At the close of the morning ses- sion, Richardson read a statement that he bore no resentment toward President Roosevelt.
 The committee recessed until 200 p. m.
 The afternoon session began at 2:30 p. m., when Adm. William D. Leahy, chief of staff to the late President Roosevelt and to President Truman, was called to the stand.
 Leahy was summoned to give his recollections of the IAWhite House luncheon at which Richardson has testified Mir Roosevelt said "soonar