Evening star., 1946-07-21
Majority Report
Continued From Page A-6.)

CfClltudllty, dt ledSL WIleu QOSCllltlSS
are expected.
19. Onicials, on = personal basis,
should never countermand an off,
cial instruction.
On October Is, 1941, the chief of
naval operations sent to the COM
mander in chief of the Pacific Fleet
a dispatch concerning the resigna-
ton Of the Japanese cabinet, point
Ing out, among other things, that
since the United States and Britain
are held responsible by Japan for
her present desperate situation there
is also possibility that Japan may
attack these two powers. But on
October II, referring to this dis
patch, Admiral Stark, in a letter to
Admiral Kimnel, said: Things
have been popping here for the last
twenty-four hours but from our dis
patches you know about all that we
do. Personally do not beliepe the
Jeps are going to sail into US and
the message sent you merely
stated the possibility; in fact, i
tempered the message handed to me
considerably"
1t appears to have been a gener-
ally accepted practice in the Navy
for the Chief of Naval Operations
to supplement official dispatches by
correspondence of a quasi-personal
nature. Despite this fact, it is re-
garded as an extremely dangerous
practice for the Chief of Naval Op-
erations to express an opinion on a
personal basis to an outpost COM
mander which has the inevitable
effect of tempering the import of
an official dispatch. Were it not for
the fact that Admiral Stark sup
piled the Commander in Chief of
the Pacific Fleet highly pertinent
and significant information after
his letter of October II and before
December 7, the manner in which
he emasculated the October 16 dis
patch would be inexcusable. How
ever. as has been seen in this re-
port, some of the most vital intelli-
gence and orders relating to Japan
were supplied Hawaii during No
vember and December of 194l.
20. Personal or official jealousy will
wreck any organization.
This principle is the result of the
general impression obtained by the
committee concerning the relation
ship between the Army and the
Navy as well as concerning certain
intraorganizational situations which
existed. The relationship, under
standing, and coordination between
the War Plans Division and the
Ofhce of Naval Intelligence were
wholly investigated. The War Plans
Division, particularly, appears to
have had an overZealous disposition
TO preserve and enhance it's preroga-
tlves. =
The whole story Of discussions
during 194l with respect to unity OF
command is a picture of jealous ad-
herence to departmental preroga-
tives and unwillingness to make con-
cessions in the interest OF both the
Army ana Navy. The same comment
is applicable to the near dispute be-
tween Admiral Kimmel and Gen
Short as to which of them should
command Wake and Midway when
the Marines were replaced by SOL
dlers. 1t is proper to suggest that
mad both the commanding officers In
Hawaii been less concerned between
November ~ and December 7 about
preserving their individual preroga-
tlVes with respect to Wake and Mid
way and more concerned about
working together to defend the Ha-
Wailan coastal frontier in the light
OF the warnings they had received
the defensive situation confronting
the Japanese on the morning OF
December 7 might well have been
entirely different.
II. Personal friendship, without
more, should never be accepted
IN lieu Of liaison or confused
Herewith where the latter il
necessary to the proper func-
tioning of two or more agencies,
One Of the more human" aspects
OF the testimony of both Admiral
kimmel and Gen. Short is the man
ner IN which each sought to bring
out their personal friendship for the
purpose of demonstrating the close
relationship that existed between
them. They played golf together;
they dined together-but they did
not get together on official business
IN such a manner as to insure that
each possessed the same knowledge
OF the situation as the other and to
effect coordination and integra-
tion OF their efforts.
~. No consideration should be per-
mitted ~ excuse for failure to
perform fundamental task.
Both the~commanding officers in
Hawaii have offered as explanation
and excuse for failure to perform
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