Evening star., 1946-01-15
.kimmeICharqes
Navy Kept Vital
Data From Him
Saw No Intereepts
indicating Roid on
Hawaii, He Testifies
BY J. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

Rear Admiral Husband z.
Kimmel testified today before
the congressional investigating
committee in his first public de-
fense of his record as COM
mander of the Pacific Fleet when
Pearl Harbor was attacked He
charged the Navy Department
with:
Depriving him of information
which might have enabled him to
intercept the japanese task force.
Misleading him by giving him q
false impression that he was receiv-
ing all vital intelligence.
StreSsing constantly the danger OF
an attack in the Far East, but with
holding intercepted japanese dis
patches pointing directly to a sur
prise raid on Hawaii.
Would Have Changed Strategy.
Admiral Kimmel told the COM
mittee that if Washington had given
him all the information it had he
would have taken far different
course to meet the threatened attack
and this would have altered the
events of December 7, 1941." He
SAID
1T is my present conviction that I
would have rejected the Navy De-
partments suggestion to send the
carriers to Wake and Midway. I
would have ordered the third carrier,
the Saratoga, back from the West
Coast. I would have gone to sea
with the feet and endeavored to
keep it in an intercepting position at
sea.
This would have permitted the
disposal of the striking power of the
feet to meet an attack in the
Hawaiian area. The requirement Of
keeping the feet fueled, however,
would have made necessary the
presence in Pearl Harbor from time
to time OF detachments of various
units of the main body of the feet"
Roberts Letter Put in Record.
Before Admiral Kimmel took the
stand, Committee Counsel Seth Rich
ardson placed in the record a, letter
from former Associate Justice Owen
j, Roberts, who headed a commits
sion which investigated the attack.
Justice Roberts said the full report
Of the commission had been pub
lished after it was turned over to
President Roosevelt January "a, 1912
/ Senator Ferguson. Republican, of
/ Michigan had asked for the orig
inal copy of the Roberts report, but
Miss Grace Tully, secretary, in
| formed the committee by letter that
it could not be found in the White
House files.
The disclosure that the original
report of the Roberts Commission
cannot be found prompted Senator
Ferguson to announce that he wants
former Justice Roberts called as a
witness.
Results of Talk Sought.
Recalling that Justice Roberts
said in his letter that he went over
the report with Mr.. Roosevelt for
two hours, Senator Ferguson told
reporters, we ought to have the
results of that conversation.
The thing cannot understand +"
said Senator Ferguson, lis why an
important document like the report
of presidential commission cannot
be found. If that is true as to an
important document, how can we ex-
pect to find other memoranda"
Among the vital facts Admiral
Kimmel contended the Navy De-
partment could have sent him late
in November. 1941, were:
Il. Japan had set November % as
an immovable deadline date for
agreement with the United States.
Proposal Made by q. S.
%. The United States. gave to
Japan certain proposals for a solu-
tlon Of JapaneSe-American relations
on November 26. :
3. Japan considered the United
States proposal of November 26 as
unacceptable and planned to rupture
negotiations with the United States
when her reply to them was deliv-
cred TO this Government.
a Japan was keeping up a pre-
text OF negotiations after November
26 to conceal definite plan which
went into effect on November 29.'
Admiral Kimmel laid great stress
on a series of Japanese messages
starting September "a, l941, in
which Tokyo sought from its con-
sulate in Honolulu a detailed map
locating the ships in Pearl Harbor
In specific areas. This information
was available in Washington, but
was not sent to Hawaii Witnesses
have told the committee it was ap-
parent to them now that this fore
cast bombing attack
Other Significant Information.
The former feet commander de-
clared that even as late as Decem-
Der 4, ample time remained for the
Navy Department to forward to me
the information which I have out
lined and, in addition. the following
significant facts which the Navy De-
partment learned between Novem-
ber 27 and that date:
'1. Japan had informed Hitler
that war with the Anglo-Saxon pow
ers would break out sooner than
: any one dreams.
%. Japan had broadcast her
winds code signal, using the words
East wind, rain meaning war or
(See PEARL HARBOR, Page AID