Evening star., 1946-01-16

hearing.
pressed confidence in Admiral Kim
mel. A note dated December II,
194l, said: Keep cheerful. Good
luck. Well fight 1t out"
Admiral Stark testified before
the congressional committee that
he considered the department gave
Admiral Kimmel ample warning Of
the danger of war in the Pacific to
have led him to place the feet on
full alert. Pressed to say whether
he thought Admiral Kimmel was to
blame for the success OF the surprise
attack, Admiral Stark said that was
matter for the committee to de-
termine.
Bitterness in Admirals Tone.
| A slow bitterness came into Ad-
miral Kimmel's tone today when he
said, concerning Admiral Stark. that,
after their 20 years Of friendship, he
could not forget events which have
occurred" since Pearl Harbor.
You were not conscious that the
Secretary of the Navy (the late
Frank Knox had any personal hos
tility to your" Mr. Richardson asked.
Not at any time said Admiral
Kimmel. Il felt that the Secretary
was very loyal friend of mine"
do you know of any reason why
there should not have been complete
liaison between you and the Once
OF Naval Operations?"
None whatever" the admiral re-
piled.
The lawyer brought out that Ad-
miral Kimmel, because of long ex-
perience in the Pacific at different
times during his 40 years naval
service, was familiar with the jap
anese menace.
1T was considered extremely likely
for years that sooner or later there
would be war with Japan?" Mr.
Richardson suggested.
Recognized Atlantic Precedence.
Il think that's a fair statement, ;"
said Admiral Kinmel. There were,
however. considerable number Of
officers in the Navy who felt that
Japan and the United States had
no real reason to fight and that a
war would result in wiping Japan
off the map"
The attorney also asked: you un-
derstood in 194l that the war in the
Atlantic was to have precedence over
any war in the Pacific?"
That was true. Admiral Kimmell
replied, adding; II felt that a strong
Pacific feet was a real deterrent to
Japan. As stated in q letter which
you have read, weaker feet might
be an invitation to Japan"
Our feet in the Pacific was never
strong enough to meet the Japanese
feet on equal terms?" counsel sug-
gested.
The admiral replied he was not
so sure Of that If you could eliminate
Neutrality-suspicious. Of distance and
supply-and get the two fleets into
position to fight pitched battle.
Decision to call Justice Roberts
was taken after Senator Ferguson,
Republican, Of Michigan cited the
minutes of a meeting of the COM
mission on January %, 1912, in
which Mr.. Knox was reported as
having suggested the rewriting of
the commissions Goth finding Of
fact.
Senator Ferguson then pointed out
that the final draft of the Roberts
report contained only 10 findings
and said the committee should find
out what changes were made.
Can't Find Original Copy.
Senator Ferguson said he would
like to question Mr.. Roberts not
only about the possible omissions
but also concerning the converse
ton he repeatedly had with Pres
ident Roosevelt when he handed
him the report January "a, 1912.
The committee was informed yes
, terday by Miss Grace Tully, ir
, charge of the late President Roose.
velt's papers, that she cannot fine
: among them the original of the
Roberts report. In separate letter
, yesterday, however, Justice Roberts
, told the committee he had read tn.
text as given to the public and as.
sured the committee it was full ant
complete, as submitted by the com.
|. mission, without deletion or alter
: alton"
He stated also in the letter tina
the commission had submitted tn.
fact-flnding (but not the report) t,
the Secretaries of War and Navy ant
! ! had been advised by each of then
that there was no objection to tht
publication of the facts as the com
mission had stated them in its re-
: port"
: The crowd in the Senate ONO,
,. Building caucus room broke int
applause yesterday as Admiral Kim
mel closed his presentation by de-
claring:
History, with the perspective O.
the long tomorrow, will enter tn,
final directive in my case. ! an
= confident of that verdict"
Tt ueS tho fret TINA oifI,Ar he n