Evening star., 1946-02-17
Conflicting Testimony
On Winds MESSAGE
SfirsCommitfee Clash
BY Carter Brooke Jones

Conflict Of testimony before
the Pearl Harbor committee or
Tokyo's winds code war warnine
led to a sharp clash YESTERDAY
between Rear Admiral Leigh
Noyes, director of Naval com.
munications in 1941 and Repre-.
sentative Keefe, Republican, oi
Wisconsin.
Pointing to the various accounts
OF the winds message which the
committee has heard, Mr.. Keefe
commented bitterly:
We've got to believe somebody
and that's going to be pretty diff.
cult task They can't all be
telling the truth"
Admiral Noyes, who testified that
Washington had no such war warn
ing the week before Pearl Harbor
admitted he had changed some OF
the statements he made before the
Navy Court Of Inquiry in San Fran
cisco In September, 1914.
I am very much mystified by
some portions Of your testimony. .
MIR. Keefe said.
Noyes Couldn't Remember.
Admiral Noyes testified before the
Navy Court he had no recollection
OF having had some cards prepared
Tor top officials with translations of
an expected winds code warning to
this effect: EAST wind rain: United
states West wind clear: England
North wind cloudy; Russia" This
meant break in relations with
these countries.
Admiral Noyes told the Congress
slonal Committee he now remem-
bered his cards. His memory. he
explained, was refreshed after he
returned to Washington last sum-
mer from duty in the Pacific and
talked to his former subordinate in
the communications office, Capt
L. F. Stafford.
You now say you prepared those
cards?" Mr.. Keefe pressed.
I authorized their preparation ("
said Admiral Noyes.
II asked a simple question said
the representative, were those cards
prepared or not?"
Yes, sir, they were"
Called Authentic Warniro
Mr. keefe demanded that the ad-
mlral say whether or not he re-
ceived a message described by Capt.
Stafford and Capt. Alwyn D. Kramer.
then chief translator in the Office.
Capt. Stafford insists this was
an authentic winds code warn
ing, announcing that Tokyo was
breaking off relations with the
United States and England, but
remaining at peace with Russia.
Capt. Kramer said he assumed at
the time 1t was such a message.
but since has been convinced that
1t was a false alarm.)
Il could not give a specific an
swer to that question:" said Ad-
miral Noyes.
Then we are to understand that
your memory fails on that point?"
MIR, Keefe suggested.
With the exception" said Ad-
m1ral Noyes, that I have an indis-
tinct recollection of a false winds
message with Russian slant"
Mr.. keefe pointed out that both
Capt. Kramer and Capt. Stafford had
testified that such a message was
sent to Admiral Noyes, either on De-
cember or S, 1941. The admiral
said he still could not remember the
message.
Then we're to understand" said
Mr.. Keefe, that with all this testi-
mony to refresh your recollection.
you are still unable to tell us what
became Of that message
Can't Recall Conversation.
Admiral Noyes said he could not.
Pressed to explain testimony of
other officers that he phoned them
that the winds message was in" or
TO similar import, Admiral Moves
replied:
Il have no recollection of any con-
versation in regard to any false
winds execute message with any in
dividual."
Admiral Noyes also said he could
not recall issuing an order to the
officers Of his division, emanating
from the chief of naval operations.
to destroy personal memoranda re-
lating to Pearl Harbor and not to
gossip about the naval disaster.
But I might very well have done
that" he added. "It was standard
Navy procedure. 1t would have
been quite in order at the time"
But the admiral said he was GER
tain that no records pertaining to
the winds code had been DESTROYED
or lost, as Capt. Stafford told the
committee.
Representative Murphy, Democrat,
OF Pennsylvania, then quoted this
excerpt from Capt. Safford's state