Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-01-01
Short Contends
Attack Warning
Was Not Ample
Pearl Horbor Probers
Reveal Testimony in
Military Inquiry
BY J. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES,


Maj. Gen. Walter C. Short, re-
tired, who commanded the Ha-
waiian Department when Pearl
Harbor was attacked, commended
he had mo information to in
dictate an attack" and so he
made no preparations to meet
one, members of the congress
sional investigating committee
learned today as they studied a
transcript of his testimony be-
fore three previous boards of in
quiry.
During a recess over New Year
Day, committeeman had a chance
to read for the first time how Gen.
Short defended himself before the
Roberts Commission, the Army
Pearl Harbor Board and the Navy
Court of Inquiry. This testimony
was referred to very briefly in re-
ports of the three bodies. Most OF
it was kept secret, and it was made
public for the first time late yester-
day when committee counsel placed
copies OF bulky volume before
committee members for their in
formation.
In Touch With Navy.
The transcript revealed that Gen.
Short told the three inquiry boards
the so-called war warning he re-
ceived from Gen. George G.
Marshall, November u, 194I, 10 days
before Pearl Harbor, stressed that.
while hostile action was possible
at any moment" whatever defensive
measure he took should not alarm
the civil population or disclose
intent"
Il was in constant communication
with the 14th Naval District" Gen.
Short told the Roberts Commits
sion less than a month after Pearl
Harbor was bombed Il had nothing
in the way of alarming news"
Gen. Short, who is recuperating
at Walter Reed Hospital from
severe illness, is to testify before
the congressional committee later.
Chief Counsel william D. Mitchell
explained that he thought the COM
mittee would want to study the
generals statements at previous in
quiries before questioning him and
promised later a similar transcript
OF the testimony given by Rear
Admiral Husband E. Kimmel. Pacific
fleet commander in l94I.
Confer With Attorney.
Following yesterdays session, the
committee, at an executive meeting.
conferred with Seth w. Richardson.
a prominent Washington attorney.
Afterward. Chairman Barley said
the matter of whether the post of
chief counsel would be offered Mr..
Richardson was not taken up
formally.
-Four members OF the committee
were absent, Senator Barley ex-
planned, and he felt nothing should
be done until they returned. Mr..
is not a candidate for
the post. the chairman empha-
sized.
The committee is faced with
having to engage new counsel for
Mr.. Mitchell and his staff of three
nave resigned, effective as soon as
new legal advisers can take over.
Mr.. Richardson, who once served in
the Justice Department and for
merly lived in Minneapolis, has Of
fices at BIS Fifteenth street NV.
Gen. Short was revealed to have
told the previous inquiry boards
that he had placed in effect the
morning of December 7, l941, when
the Japanese attacked, his No. 8
alert, against sabotage only, because
all his information, from the War
Department and otherwise, indi-
Gated that was the chief danger to
Hawaii. A No. 2 alert. he explained,
would have been aimed at air and
submarine attacks, as well as sab
otage. and No. 3 would have been
an about alert, directed against
every form of enemy activity, in
Guiding attempted landings.
Feared Sabotage.
I'm the first place." he told the
Roberts Commission, with the
population we have here. there was
very strong possibility of sabotage.
Individual sabotage was the thing I
feared more than anything else. 1
didn't fear uprisings. I didn't think
they would dare take a chance on
that.
I'm the second place, I had no
information to indicate an attack,
so it did not appear essential to
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