Evening star., 1945-11-25
Borkfey Brings Out
Foe Was Deferred
For ID Months
By ]. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES

Sumner WelleS, Undersecre-
tary of State, when America en-
tered the war, told the Pearl
Harbor Investigating Committee
late yesterday that withdrawal
of the fleet from Hawaii would
"unqueStionably have been con-
strued by the japanese warlords
as acquiescene" in their program
OF aggression.
Chairman Barkley recalled the
earlier testimony of Admiral James
o. Richardson, then commander of
the United States Fleet, who said
he had urged withdrawal of the
fleet to the West Coast of the
United States at a White House
luncheon October 8, 1910. but that
President Roosevelt refused.
Senator Barkley, in question to
Mr.. Welles, then made the point
that the presence of the feet at
Pearl Harbor had at least deferred
the japanese for IA months after
the White House luncheon. This
brought Mr.. Welles' reply that it's
withdrawal would have encouraged
Japanese aggression.
Roosevelt Promise Not Specific.
Other highlights of the Saturday
session were:
Mr.. Welles insisted that during
the historic Atlantic Charter meet
ing at sea with Winston Churchill,
Mr.. Roosevelt made only a general
promise to issue a warning to Japan
against further military expansion,
rather than specific joint message
as suggested by the then British
Prime Minister.
Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine, threw out the first concrete
suggestion for bringing about closer
liaison between the State Depart
ment and Congress in any future
emergency like the negotiations
which eliminated in the Pearl Har-
Dor attack.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Welles told
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan, that only complete ac-
quiescence by the United States in
japanese domination of Asia and
the Pacific would have averted
breakdown Of the peace negotiations
in the fall of 1941.
Jap Note Called Ultimatum.
Senator Ferguson had asked If
former Secretary of State Hull's final
note to which the witness replied:
My understanding is their note
Of November 20 was an ultimatum
to us, and that any reply short of
complete acquiescence in japanese
domination of the Pacific and Asia
would have been unacceptable"
Leaving the stand after answer
ing a flood of questions by commit
tee members all day, Mr.. Welles
gave unqualified Endorsement to the
22,000-word statement which former
Secretary Hull presented to the
committee Friday.
Mr.. Hull will return to the stand
at 10 am. tomorrow for another
hour of cross oss-examination, after
which Joseph C. Grew, Ambassa
dor to Japan for the decade preced-
ing the war, will be called. 1t is
expected that Mr.. Grew will be
asked to describe the progress OF
events as they developed in Tokyo
in 1941.
At the start of yesterdays session
ftn nar,oroiftnn v,,,h1io H.
secret message Mr.. Churchill sent
to President Roosevelt on Novem-
ber 80, 1941, one week before the
Pearl Harbor attack, again suggest
ing that notice be served on Japan
that any further act of aggression
would lead Immediately to the
gravest consequences"
For code purposes, Mr.. Churchill
was described in this document as
the former naval person" He be-
gan by saying ut seems to me that
one important method remains un-
used in averting war between Japan
and our two countries, namely g
plain declaration, secret or public
as may be thought best, that any
further act of aggression by Japan
will lead to gravest consequences"
Il realize your constitutional
difficulties" Mr. Churchill contin-
ued, 'but it would be tragic il
Japan drifted into war by encroach-
ment without having before hel
Continued on Page A-3, Column o.
e.. III e kl. RI