The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-11-18
Pearl Harbor Probe
BY ARTHUR KROCk


WASHINGTON. - The inquiry into the
causes Of the disaster at Pearl Harbor be-
gin in an intense partisan atmosphere.
This is inevitable in any Congressional in
vestieation which conceivably could produce
facts that would inflict great political damage
on the party in power and incidentally benefit
the opposition. And the party now IN admin
istrative power is the same that 1t was at
the time Of Pearl Harbor.
Some new and perhaps highly revealing
facts will surely be the result OF the inquiry,
because the concurrent state OF war was one
obvious reason for their suppression IN prev1-
GUS inquiries or in reports mace TO the pubic.
IF the nature of these facts clearly Justlfies
their concealment even though they may re-
fleet on Washington efficiency at the time OF
Pearl Harbor, the political benefits to the OPP
position will be limited and no result OF the
polls of 1916 and 1888 may turn on them.
But if they are such as to persuade dlsln-
terested persons that they were concealed
chiefly to escape public reckoning in the
wears between, their effect on future voters
may be all the Republicans hope 1or
Thew are in minority on the committee,
and therefore any motion Of theirs can be
voted down at any time. That is why the
Republicans have sought for individual men,
bers the privilege of Independent action, in
Guiding possession and search of whatever
files there are or, in the opinion Of any COM
mitteeman, may exist. This demand has been
denied by the administration, although 1t has
relaxed the original rule that lndlvldua! men,
bers might not question persons they believe
to have pertinent information, and with full
authority to require answers.
The limits imposed by the majority on in
dividual search of papers have, OF course,
confirmed the suspicion OF those inclined to
have it anyhow that the Democrats are
leagued to cover up facts of Pearl Harbor
that would convict the late President Roose-
welt and his administration Of much more
than the lack Of coordination that has been
proved. Administration l e S, including
Chairman Barley, concede that this is SO,
although they express confidence that when
the inquiry is ended fair-minded persons will
conclude that the suspicion is unwarranted.
They justify the restriction on this ground:
Mr. Roosevelt's papers were Unfortunately
bundled together at the time of his sudden
death. The file includes much that is personal
and no business of any person but his au-
thorized executors and legatees. Therefore,
since those would come to the knowledge of
persons with no right to them, who also might
misuse them, individual committee search
cannot be permitted. It is also contended by
the majority that with all governmental files
opened to individual committee members
there would be ten separate investigations,
one by each member, rather than the one
which was authorized by Congress in institut-
ing the inquiry. This the Democrats say,
would make for disordered investigation that
would prove to be not only unsatisfactory but
inconclusive.
What some Republican members are look
ing for in the late Presidents files has been
clearly indicated. They seek answers to these
questions that have been raised in their
minds: Did Mr.. Roosevelt hope for an Incl
dent Of unprovoked Japanese attack in De-
cember, 1941, because he knew he could then
take the country into war, which he believed
to be essential to its preservation? Did he,
therefore, give orders, or cause them to be
given, to the commanders at our military out
posts which would have the effect of prevent
ing security or counter-mea sures of defense
which, coming to the knowledge Of the Japa-
nese as they must, would have altered their
plan to attack? Did he know through the
broken code that the japanese were actually
on the move to attack, and make no personal
effort to convey this to the commanders? If
so, why?
Information bearing on these questions, in
the vast mounds of files and in the testimony
Of material Witnesses is what some Republi-
cans particularly are seeking, and they are
convinced that the committee rules have been
made for the special purpose of hiding in
formation. But it is probable that not one of
them goes so far as to believe the late Presi-
dent expected that any attack by the Japa-
nese would be successful or take even minor
degree Of the toll that was taken at Pearl
Harbor. This is at least something for public
satisfaction in an approach to inquiry that
has become enveloped with partisanship on
both sides.
The testimony at the hearings, the findings
OF the investigators and the individual and
collective conduct of the committee may at
tain the level which the importance and CRAWL
ty OF the duty sternly call for. But what hap
pened so far, including the statements in
winch committeeman have prejudged certain
facts, illustrates the great need of a different
system. The British long have had one-the
Royal Commission While its members are
selected by the Government in power and
tnelr findings do not bind anyone in recent
years commissioners have been chosen by the
highest standards Zone of which is that no
one shall sit as a judge in his own cause
or case); and the findings have been accepted
by the public and by Parliament as factual,
independent, nonpartisan and otherwise disin-
terested. On occasion the courts have dis
qualified member chosen contrary to those
standards, citing thu Royal Commission
statute that defines them.
"A Congressional investigation, particularly