Detroit evening times., 1945-09-07
WESTBROOK
PECLER \
Fair
Enough

parable TO croSs-talk and static
on the radio, definitely prove
that a braZen attempt was made
10 disgrace forever, and with
out trial. two innocent service
commanders, Gen. Short and
Adm. Kimmel. This was done
by the so-called Roberts COM
mission in its hurried report,
released Jan. IS, 1912, follow
ing a superficial unjudicial and
unfair inquiry held in Honolulu.
This commission found" that
Short and Kimmel were guilty
of "dereliction Of duty" in spite
of the fact that it held no trial.
Tl1E inquiry was made under
Il an executive order from Mr..
Roosevelt which said the plIr-
pose was to provide a basis
for sound conclusions whether
derelictions of duty or errors Of
judgment on the part of army
or navy personnel contributed
10 the tragedy and who were
responsible.
Roosevelt. Secretary OF State
Hull Secretary of War Stimson
and S cretary of the Navy
Frank Knox. were civilians and
not army or navy personnel"
The c chairman. Justice
Roberts, was a civilian Who
stepped down momentarily fp~n
the Supreme Court 10 acAr
this assignment. The OF -
members were two generals, and
two admirals. all beholden 10
Mr.. Roosevelt as their com.
mander IN chief. and 10 the sec.
retarles Of their respective sdv.
ices.
Their report was long 3nd
ambiguous and salted with sug-
geStions OF failure in Washing
ton But the only persons whom
II directly accused, and tn ls
condemned to humiliation and
a ctive persecution for more
than three years and might have
condemned 10 historic disgrace,
were Short and klmmel.
IT WAS not stated that they
failed altogether 20 confer II
was freely admitted that they
did confer frequently regarding
JOINT army-navy plans and pro-
ccdures but failed 10 confer Sbe.
cifically about the "meaningn Of
messages from Washington in
the last days before the attabk.
The meaning Of those mes
sageS was that a japanese at
tack might come monetarily but
that they were forbiddeno 10
a a r m the civilians, disclose
Their intent or cause publicity.
Moreover, Kinynel had te-
celved a misleading report irYdi.
eating that the japanese would
not attack Hawaii and the Rob-
or'S commission SAID the mes
sage served only 10 emphasize
IN their minds the danger Of
sabotage and a surprise subrta-
rlnc attack.
4 MONG the causes Of the dis.
n aSter the report mentions
the japanese disregard OF inter-
national Law IN striking without
declaration of war.
THIS was the traditional Jaha-
neSc method. 10 be sure.
less than two weeks bel
Senator Claude Pepper OF FSor.
ida. ConfIdant of President
Roosevelt, had been quoted ia a
dispatch from Boston as having
said that this time the Amsri-
can nation would strike without
a declaration.
Thus, the Japanese might have
felt that their own informal
methods had been adopted by
the United States in spite OF
which possibility the Robefts
report tells us that Short and
klmmel were conjured 10 cen
fine themselves 10 legal stebs
and take no action until Jap&n
had committed an overt actI
THUS there runs through the
confused record a definite
thread Of fact that the two
commanders were hampered in
their actions and subject 10
terrible penalties for exceeding
their restrained instructions and
finally were left 10 confer and
guess AZ meanings which we're
not there.
President Truman. in a press
conference, vindicated his late
chief and blamed the American
people for their indifference.
which is another story and
hardly triable case.
TIIE new President is a man
Il Of tenacious loyalty He
was so loyal 10 Tom Pendergast.
the Kansas City corruptioneer
who sent him 10 the Senate.
that he fought doggedly in The
Senate 10 prevent the confirma-
tion Of the United States dis
trict attorney. Maurice Milligan,
a better man than he, who was
the foul Pendergast
machine and sending 10 prison
some of Mr.. Truman's own old
associates for election fraA
Now in the same loyalts ID
nominates in the Pearl HabJr
case the American people AS a
defendant in place Of Mr.. Roos-
evelt who had ample opportun-
lty 10 face the issue during his
life, who gloried in his title Of
commander in chief and who