Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-11-16
Disunity in U. S.
Factor in Attack,
IngIis Testifies
BY J. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

on the Pearl Harbor Investigat-
ing Committee against devoting
the first two days of the inquiry
to "hearsay" testimony by Rear
Admiral T. B. Inglis and Col.
Bernard Thielen as to what hap
pened on December 7, 1941,
brought the first flareup in COM
mittee ranks today.
The Republican members also
raised the question whether the
American cruiser Boise sighted the
Japanese force which attacked Pearl
Harbor, but failed to report it be-
cause of orders for radio silence"
Can you tell me whether the
cruiser Boise sighted the Japanese
attacking feet on its way to Pearl
Harbor2" Representative Gearhart
asked Admiral Inglis, chief of naval
intelligence.
Il know of no sighting of.the Jap
feet" Admiral Inglis replied. Mr..
Gearhart asked that inquiry be made
in the Navy Department to see if
there is any such report.
Record of Movements Asked.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan then asked that Admiral
Inglis supply the committee with the
complete record of the Bosses move
ments in the period Immediately be-
fore the attack.
Admiral Inglis agreed to both re-
quests.
Earlier in the day, Admiral Inglis
testified that he believed a lack of
unity in this country contributed to
the attack. He made the statement
after Senator Ferguson drew from
him an admission that he had in
tended to mention this lack of unity
in his story of Pearl Harbor yester-
day, but it was deleted, along with
several other subjects, at the sug-
gestion of Committee Counsel Will
liam D. Mitchell and Navy officials.
When the three Republicans OBJ
jected to the procedure, Chairman
Barley broke in to. declare this
course was decided on unanimously
by the committee, with a view to
having the record start out with
background of what occurred on
December z, l941.
Representative Gearhart and Sen
ators Ferguson and Brewster of
Maine joined in asserting they had
never agreed to such procedure.
Brewster Urged Delay.
"The men who were on the ground
will be called, but they can't be
called en- masse," Chairman Bark
ley observed.
But we did not expect to get
hearsay testimony" Mr.. Gearhart
rejoined.
Senator Brewster recalled that he
had urged postponement of the
hearings until members could study
all Of the available data. He said he
thought developments to date have
demonstrated the inexpediency of
bringing up two officers who were
not at Pearl Harbor. He added it
was most unfortunate the first two
days have been wasted"
During the noon recess Senator
Lucas, Democrat, of Illinois made
the comment that most of the time
thus far has been taken up with
Republican croSs-examination.
The f1are-up started while Mr..
Gearhart was asking Admiral Inglis
and Col. Thielen if he had any
knowledge of orders to Rear Admiral
Husband E. Kimmel and Mai. Gen.
Walter G. Short that no japanese
ships were to be fired on first. Col.
Thielen said he did not know.
"You know such an order was
given to Macarthur" Mr.. Gearhart
continued. Col. Thielen said he did
not know that.
Can Explain Assignment.
"Is that the reason you gentlemen
were sent up here, to give hearsay
testimony" Asked Mr.. Gearhart.
Col. Thielen said that was not
true in his case, and that he could
explain why he was assigned.
There are admirals and generals
who could give first-hand testi-
mony," Mr.. Gearhart persisted.
Mr.. Gearhart also quoted from
q Saturday Evening Post article in
October, 1912, in which he said
Comdr. Clarence Earl Dickinson, jr,
(then ieutenant described the
Journey made by task force under
Admiral William r. Halsey, taking
planes from Pearl Harbor to Wake
Island between November % and
December Z, 1941.
Mr.. Gearhart said the trip was
made under absolute war orders"
and that Admiral Halsey had given
his crews instructions to shoot down
anything they saw in the sky or on
the surface.
Admiral. Iyaulis caid L.