Evening star., 1945-11-26

Of AL BUNNY" Davis, prize figh
Beldock said Giarraffa admitted
involved in the killing.
cord, and that any foreign service
officer, who would go abroad with
the feeling war was inevitable
might as we'll have thrown up his
hands and gone home"
The former Ambassador described
his position in Japan as being "like
a candidate for political office who
knows he is going to be defeated,
but doesn't admit it until it hap
pens" Presumably, he was referring
to defeat in diplomatic efforts to
maintain peace. He agreed that he
felt there was strong probability"
of war.
Mr.. Hull told the committee he
never heard any one suggest before
the japanese attack that the Ameri-
can Fleet could not protect itself
or would have to be moved to pro-
tect itself"
The 74-year-old statesman made
this statement when Mr. Gesell in
quired If Admiral J. o. Richardson,
retired, ever told him the feet
was insecure or unsafe in Pearl
Harbor.
MY memory could be at fault"
Mr.. Hull began, "but don't remem-
ber that anyone suggested the feet
could not protect itself, or would
have to be moved to protect itself"
Hull Explains Position.
Admiral Richardson has testified
he urged President Roosevelt in the
fall of 1910, without success. to bring
the fleet to the West Coast of the
United States, where it could more
readily be prepared for war. The
admiral said he was summarily re-
lieved from command on February !,
ls4l.
Mr.. Gesell asked Mr.. Hull to tell
what the State Departments posi-
ton was on the question of keeping
the fleet in Hawaii.
1--WE unhesitatingly felt that it
would be to more or less extent
useful, especially after the Navy was
based at Pearl Harbor, that it re-
main there during the critical period
of negotiations with Japan" he re-
piled.
I'VE were dealing with one of the
worst international desperadoes in
the memory Of man. They were on
the rampage, dangerous and unde-
pendable. We felt 1t would be a
little more wholesome for our Navy
to be standing there at that time,
and I think, from all the tangible
and intangible reactions I have, we
were justified"
Mr.. Gesen turned next to the
draft of a proposed message to Con-
gress, which was prepared for Mr.
Roosevelt's consideration on Novem-
Der 20, 1941-one week before the
attack-but never delivered. Made
public last week, the note was a
warning to Congress that relations
with Japan were near the breaking
point. Mr.. Gesell asked why it was
not sent.
Mr.. Hull said it was felt that to
send message to Congress stating
we were about to get into a fight
with Japan would have played into
the hands of the military clique that
was in control of the japanese gov
ernment.
."In brief" he said, "the japanese
were completely in charge of the
war lords under TOTO. In this coun-
try the President and I, with sup
porters in and out of Congress, had
a few weeks earlier been dealing
with the extension of the Selective
Service Act. In October we found
opinion split wide open as between
nationalist sentiment and those
who took a broader internationa.
viewpoint
I'VE felt the best Congress coule
do, held back by divided opinion
was to continue the Draft Act by
only one vote, and then only by re.
tanning the provision to limit serv.
ice by inductees to this hemisphere
and the adjacent islands"
Knowing that Japan was abou
to break out at any time, we fel
that to send the note then woulc
play into the hands of the Jap mill
tarists."
Mr.. Hull gave substantially thu
same reason as to why Mr.. Roose'
welt did not make a direct appea
to Emperor Hirohito until Decembel
6-within "a hours of the attack
Although tentative drafts of sucl
an appeal were prepared as earl!
as october II, Mr.. Hull said tina
If the Jap war lords saw the Presi
dent going over their heads II
the little Emperor, as he was a
that time, it would only react tt
their advantage" He said the wa
lords were SO powerful they coul'
touch the Emperor on the shoulde
and tell him to "sign a declaration
of war in blank"
Mr.. Hull showed little sign o
recent Illness as he took the stan
, this morning. Chairman Barkle
reminded the committee of 1t
agreement to keep the former secre
tary only 45 minutes day, but Nj
: Hull again expressed a desire to 8
! on for an hour. He said he woul
return as many days as the com
: mittee desired him, but that
throat irritation made it dif1cu
!. for him to testify in the mornin
and afternoon of the same day.
d U. S. Troops to Evocuot'