Evening star., 1945-08-31
Pearl Hurbor
Continued From First Page.)

draft legislation is cleared, he added.
The joint staff, set up after Pearl
Harbor, includes Army and Navy
chiefs and is headed by Admiral
William D. Leahy, personal chief of
staff to the President.
Recommendations Drafted.
s. Members OF q special Army
Navy committee Of inquiry reported
they have submitted their recon-
mendations to the joint chiefs re-
garding merger Of the armed forces.
They declined to say what they
recommended. The committee has
as its ranking officers Admiral ]. O..
Richardson and 1t. Gen. Harold l..
George.
Mr.. Hull's letter, addressed to
Secretary Of War Stimson, said the
counterproposal he handed the
japanese November 26. 194l, offered
them substantially the economic
and other advantages they sought in
Asia, provided they would give up
their aggressive policies"
Declaring the plan did not con-
stitute In any sense an ultimatum," I"
Mr.. Hull added that it proposed
rather "a broad but simple settle
ment covering the entire Pacific
area"
Mr.. Stimson said Wednesday that
he strongly disagreed" with the
Army boards findings that Mr.. Hull
had touched the button" and Mr..
Truman yesterday said he agreed
fully and completely with Mr.. Stim-
son.
Mr.. Truman told his news con-
ference that the American people
must share the blame for Pearl Har-
Dor. He added that he had no OBJ
lection to court-martial proceed
ings, but that he did not intend to
order them.
The President said further that
he doubted he had the authority
to order courts-martial. However,
Army and Navy regulations pro-
vide for such action.
Mr.. Truman has full authority to
convene a general court-martial for
any member of the naval service, as
has the Navy Secretary, the COM
mander in chief of a fleet or squad
ron, and the commanding officer of
naval station beyond the CONT
mental limits of the United States.
The naval articles do not provide,
however, for any officer to demand
a court-martial for himself except
where an officer has been dismissed
by order Of the President.
Under Army court-martial pro-
cedure, any of the officers criticized
in the investigation reports may re-
quest a court-martial-a request
which would produce an investiga-
ton to determine whether a trial
should be held. These regulations
also give the President authority to
call a court-martial, but not the
Secretary Of War.
Some members Of Congress said
neither a court-martial nor COM
mittee hearings could establish posi-
tive blame for the disaster, because,
they added, the issues involved are
so comprehensive.
Nearly all of approximately so
questioned during the past three
days, however, said they favored q
further investigation.
The War Department said there
was absolutely no foundation for re-
ports that Gen. Marshall would re-
tire and seek a court-martial. Gen.
Marshall was criticized by the Army
Board OF Inquiry as having failed
to alert the Hawaiian command ade-
quately. Secretary Stimson and Mr..
Truman strongly defended Gen.
Marshall.
Chairman Thomas of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee, dis
agreeing with Mr.. Truman's news
conference assertion that the gen.
eral public should share In the
blame, said:
Il would not put the blame on
the American people, but on leaders
IN Japan, who. after making treaties
with Hitler and Milssnliyfi rSlatfAd