Evening star., 1946-02-16
Army at Pearl Harbor
| Denied Vital Data,
Hearing Informed
By Corter Brooke Jones

to the intercepted Japanese mes
sages which the Navy was picking
out of the air, Capt. Joseph j.
Rochefort, Navy cipher expert, testi-
fed today at the congressional
hearing.
Capt. Rochefort, who headed a
secret decrypting unit in Hawaii in
194l, said he did not give Col.
Kendall j. Fielder, head of Army
intelligence in Hawaii, the ultra
information which the Navy had.
He was not on the list of those
entitled to that information, the
officer explained.
He added, however, that if the
Navy got information which affected
the Army, he gave it to Col. Fielder
in a disguised form which would
not disclose its source.
Had No Purple" Facilities.
Capt. Rochefort explained that
his unit did not have facilities to
break down the Japanese purple
or diplomatic code, but could handle
only japanese naval radio traffic
which gave clues to the movements
of ships.
who decided what information
the Army should receiver" asked
Representative Cooper, Democrat,
Of Tennessee.
Capt. Rochefort said that would
be a matter for him to determine,
unless orders to the contrary came
from Washington or from Rear Ad-
miral Husband E. Kimmel, Pacific
feet commander.
Capt. Rochefort said he had been
instructed by Washington to moni-
tor for a voice broadcast from Tokyo
containing a message carrying out
the winds code war warning, but
that no such information ever came
through.
Stark May Testify Again.
Admiral Harold r. Stark, chief of
naval operations in 1941, may be
called back before the committee as
a result of surprise testimony late
yesterday to the effect that Presi-
dent Roosevelt, reading intercepted
japanese dispatches the night be-
fore the attack, remarked this
means war" and wanted the admiral
summoned to the White House.
The surprise witness, Comdr. Les
ter r. Schulz, who testified he
handed the President decoded dis
patches, said Mr.. Roosevelt learned
from White House telephone op-
orator that Admiral Stark was at
the National Theater. Mr.. Roose-
velt did not want the admiral
PACED, fearing it would attract pub
lie attention, and said he would
reach the Navy chief later, the
young officer recalled.
Two Republican members of the
committee, Senator Ferguson of
Michigan and Representative Keefe
of Wisconsin, suggested to report
ers today that Admiral Stark be
summoned again to see if Comdr.
Schulz's testimony refreshed his
memory. Admiral Stark testified
that he could not remember where
he was or what he did the night
before Pearl Harbor.
Testimony Causes Sensation.
Comdr. Schulz had no knowledge
OF whether the President finally
reached the admiral or any other
high officials that night.
The youthful officer, 1894 An
napolis graduate, had not testified
at any of the previous Pearl Harbor
inquiries, and his testimony caused
a sensation at the hearing.
Capt. Alwyn D. Kramer of Naval
previously had described
taking to the White House about
$50 December 6, 1941, the first 13
parts Of the 14-part note from Tokyo
breaking off relations with the
United States. Comdr. Schulz, how
ever, had no personal information
as to whether the President read the
that night.
Comdr. Schultz, who was an as
sistant naval aide at the White
House, said the naval aide, Rear
Amiral John r. Beardall, had gone
out, saying the dispatches were ex-
pected and they were to be delivered
to the President at once.
Took Pouch to President.
The witness said he took the locked
pouch to the White House study.
where he found the President and
his confidential adviser, Harry Hop
kins. Comdr. Schultz said he opened
the pouch with key Admiral Bear
dali had left, and the President read
the contents. Handing the papers
over to MIR. Hopkins to read, the
President said:
This means war"
Comdr. Schultz added that after
Mr.. Hopkins read the dispatches he
remarked, in substance:
Its too bad we can't strike the
first blow and prevent any sort of
surprise"
The witness recalled that the
President replied, in effect: "We
can't do that. We're a democracy.
We have a great record"
The commander said the Presi-
dent added something to the effect
that we must stand on that record.
The President and his adviser dis
cuSsed the disposition of Japanese
forces as reported in recent days,
the witness said, and there was
of Indo- China, but nothing
was said about Pearl Harbor, nor
was there any prediction of when
the war might break out.