The Wilmington morning star., 1945-11-22
ADMIRAL LEAHY
BACKS STATEMENT
Continued from Page One)

QSIlt.
From Leahy the committee
heard his recollections Of the
luncheon conference the two Ad-
mirals had with the President and
of the conversations to which
Richardson attributed his later
removal as Commander of the
fleet.
Though he had no recollection
of some other remarks which
Richardson said were made, Leahy
agreed that his fellow Admiral
told the President that American
ships did not have their full COM
plement of men, lacked facilities
at Pearl Harbor, and lacked oil
for extensive operations. Richard
son had said he had urged that
the fleet be removed from Hawai-
ian waters to the West coast but
the President disagreed.
That was on Oct. 8, 1910. The fol-
lowing Feb. l, Richardson was
detached as Commander in Chief
of the Fleet and relieved by Ad-
miral Husband E. Kimmel who
was in command when the Japa-
nese attacked.
Richardson testified that when
he arrived in Washington in March
he told the late Secretary Of the
Navy Knox that he had never
known of a flag officer being
detached from command of the
U. S. Fleet in the same manner
that I was, and I feel that I owe
lit to myself to inquire why I was
detached"
He quoted Knox as replying that
the President would "send for me
and talk the matter over with me-"
Did the President ever send
for your" asked Senator Ferguson
R.- Mich.)
"!He did not.''
When Ferguson pressed AZ to
whether he ever received any ind-
cation OF why he was tached,
Richardson related that on one
occasion Knox told him:
1.-THE last time you were here
you hurt the Presidents feelings"
Asked if the reference was to
1.-THE Oct. 8 luncheon, Richardson
said, Il think so.''
Leahy said he had made no
memor andum and had no recollec-
ltion Of much Of what was said
at the White House.
He did not recall that Mr.. Roose
welt expressed doubt that the
United States would 60 to war ever
if Japan attacked the Philippines
Nor, he said, did he hear the Presi
dent say the Fleet must stay a
Pearl Harbor as a Restraining in
fluence" on Japan.
Richardson had quoted tn.
President as making those state
ments.
Leahy emphasized that he wa!
not disputing Richardson's &C
count of what was said at tn.
White House:
II cannot say the conversation
did not take place, but I do no
remember it," he said.
Leahy, who served for a time a.
Ambassador to the Petain regim.
in France, said that while he wa!
in Vichy, he was kept informed
by the French of Japan's move
ment of troops into Indo-China. H,
became convinced we would b.
at war with Japan over the Philip
pines in the near future"
He so notified Washington, h,
added.
Rep. Gearhart (R-Calif.) asked
whether he anticipated an attacl
on Hawaii.
II did not" Leahy replied.
Leahy was on the stand a littl,
over an hour. When he was dis
missed, the committee recesse,
over the Thanksgiving holiday I'm
til 10 a. M, Friday.
William D. Mitchell, committe,
counsel, said it would take up the1
"the State Department story witt
former Secretary Hull as the frs
witness, his health permitting.
Admiral Richardson. during hi
testimony, said President Roose
welt did not strengthen the fleet a
fast as he could have in 1910 al
though there was concern that wa
with Japan might come that fall
Cross-examined by Senator Fer
guson (R-Mich.) on earlier state
ments that the fleet was onl,
about s. per cent manned and wa
not ready for war, Ferguson said
Il am perfectly willing to stat
that believe the President had
in his power by an Act of Con
gress to increase the number o
men in the fleet faster than h
did"
did you discuss it with him?'
Ferguson asked.
i. II discussed it with everybody,
Richardson replied. ''Everybod.
} thought I was a nut on the sub
ject."
He testified, too, that a lack O.