Evening star., 1945-11-30

mander merely was given from time
to time such information as 1t was
felt he should have.
The Navy was giving him certain
information before July. 1941, the
witness pointed out, but he doubted
whether Gen. Short ever knew the
source Of 1t.
In further explanation of why the
"intercepts" were guarded in Wash
ington, distributed to only few
top officers of the War, Navy and
State Departments and the White
House, Gen. Miles said: "If the Japs
had learned that we were sending
to Hawaii information which could
have been obtained only by break
ing their code, the secret would
have been worthless"
The decision to quit sending back
the decoded messages was in line
with this fear, he pointed out.
Messages Sent by Radio.
In the last six months before
Pearl Harbor, the responsibility of
G-2 for the intercepted messages
was somewhat lessened by the Chief
of Staff" Gen. Miles testified. G-2,
he explained, no longer evaluated
this information, but transmitted
the texts to the Chief of Staff and
the handful of other officials al
lowed to see them. They could
make their own eyaluations, the
general added.
Were the Japanese messages sent
out by radio?" Mr.. Gesell asked
In most instances, I believe"
Mails also were used, Gen. Miles
said.
Was there any scrutiny of the
mailS?" the counsel asked.
mot to my knowledge"
Gen Miles said the commercial
cable also was used by the Japanese
Were we in a position to monitor
the cables?"
Il believe we WERE" Gen. Miles
said, but thought the less knew
about that the better. I had moth
ing to do with it."
Mr.. Gesell asked whether Gen
Short could have expected any par
ticular type of information from
G-2 through standing orders of the
War Department.
AS an experienced officer, Gen
Miles replied, the Hawaiian COM
mander could have expected "a
great deal of information" includ
ing intelligence summaries dealing
with situations all over the world
No Regulation on Information.
My question" Mr.. Gesell said
was rather whether, under estab-
lished procedure, he had reason to
feel that any particular informa-
ton of special interest to him would
be furnished by G-2?"
Il don't want to give a vague an
swer," said Gen. Miles, but !
don't know that l can make it any
more specific"
The japanese intercepts, Mr.
Gesell pointed out, contained in
formation of diplomatic moves and
IN other instances military informa-
ton, some of 1t bearing directly on
Hawaii. Was there any regulation
directing that Gen. Short be given
at least summaries of such advices ?
he asked
Il know of no such regulation. u
said Gen. Miles.
1t was entirely within the dis
cretion Of the general staff?"
Yes, sir"
Questioned as to the attitude OF
Co. during those critical months
toward the possibility of war with
Japan, Gen. Miles said his Far
Eastern section felt it was probable
AS for me- he added, Il felt
that Japan faced a crisis that would
almost certainly result in war"
f But there were many points where
she might attack, Gen. Miles said
and there was nothing to lead hin
to conclude where it was mos,
likely.
| Gen. Miles told the whole story o.
the intercepted messages for the frs
time as he testified late yesterday
HE explained that he withheld al
details of these secret message
from the Army Pearl Harbor Boart
of Inquiry last year under instruc
tions from the Army Chief of staff
Denies He Was Gagged.
Il was not gagged by the Chief O
Staff" Gen. Miles said emphatically
1T was not suggested that I d.
anything to cover up anybody. TIL
war with Japan was then at 1t
height, and I was told only to pro
tect these top secrets
Gen. Miles added that these wer
military secrets of incalculable value
1t was known to only a few person
at the time that we were breakin,
the Japanese codes. Had the infor
nation leaked out generally it Nigh
have cost thousands of American
lives"
4 Mr.. Gesell brought out this testi
mony after referring to an affidavi
which Gen. Miles signed last Angus
at the request of Col. Henry
Clausen, who was designated by tn
Secretary of War to review the find
ings Of the Army Board of Inquiry
The affidavit contained the infor
nation that Gen. Miles had with
held knowledge of the intercepte
messages from the Army board o.
instructions of the Chief of Stat
Regrets Wording.
;, Gen. Miles said he regretted tn
wording of the affidavit, addin
that it had been misunderstood. H
explained that even if he had nc
had instructions from the Chief Q
Staff he would have withheld tn
information from the Army boar
unless specifically ordered to dis
close it by the Secretary of Wa