Evening star., 1946-01-05

Munson Acted for Roosevelt.
At the outset of his testimony to-
day, Admiral Stark confirmed evi-
dence that Curtis Munson, who
made a mysterious visit to Hawaii
IN the summer of 1941, was repre-
senting President Roosevelt and
made three secret reports on the
japanese situation.
Admiral Stark said the reports
were in the files of naval intelli-
gence, and Senator Ferguson asked
that they be produced. They pre-
sumably were made to the President,
Admiral Stark said.
1t was to Mr.. Munson and to Rear
Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, then
Pacific Fleet commander, that Capt
E. M. ZachariaS, naval intelligence
officer, predicted the air attack on
Pearl Harbor, specifying even that
it would occur on a Sunday morning
according to document placed in
the record late yesterday.
Confirmed by State Department.
Admiral Stark told the committee
yesterday he had no recollection of
Mr.. Munson, who was described in
the statement by Capt. Zacharias
placed in the record as believed to
be presidential agent" but prom
ised to look up the records overnight.
Information received from the
State Department, the admiral told
the committee today, confirmed that
Mr.. Munson had visited Hawaii and
the West Coast on a secret mission
for the President relating to the
japanese situation. The Navy was
asked to supply Mr.. Munson with
suitable credentials, State Depart
ment records disclosed, because the
President wanted him to study con-
ditions. Mr.. Munson was allowed
access to naval records in Hawaii
and on the West Coast.
HE made two or three reports on
his return, presumably to the Presi-
dent" Admiral Stark said.
A statement in the record append
ed to the Zacharias account was
signed by Mr.. Munson and stated 1t
was correct that the intelligence Of
ficer had predicted the surprise Sum
day air attack. Capt. Zacharias
who later gained prominence for his
Japanese language broadcasts to
Japan for the Navy, was stationed
in Hawaii at the time.
Committee members said Capt
Zacharias will be called to the stand
soon.
Predicts Attacks
In the memorandum which Sena.
tor Ferguson brought to light, the
officer wrote:
About that same time Mr.. Nun.
son, a representative from Wash
ington believed to be a presiden.
tial agent) sought me for an ex-
preston of views on the probabili-
ties and my opinions as to what
action should be taken with. the
Japanese here and on the West
Coast.
After outlining to him my firm
conviction that if Japan decided to
go to war with us, it would open by
an air attack on Pearl Harbor, on
a week end, and probably Sunday
morning. with all the reasons there
for, 1 then stated, You now have
two ENJOYS in Washington: When
the third one arrives, you can look
for it to break Immediately, one way
or the other The third envoy ar
rived in Washington about Decem-
Der 2, 1941."
This reference to ENJOYS was moi
explained. japanese Ambassador
Nomura and a special envoy, Saburo
Kurusu, had been negotiating with
Secretary Hull late that year.
Zacharias' Memorandum.
The Zacharias memorandum ad-
dressed to Rear Admiral Milo F.
Draemel, stated:
My conversation with you is i'm
PEELED from a sense of duty because
of what I consider a serious situa-
ton existing in Hawaii.
"Once before, in such a situation
I gave concrete opinions and ad-
vice which apparently could not
break through preconceived ideas
History was about to repeat itself
and no one would believe it.
Only a few people know that ]
had cautioned Admiral Kimmel ano
Capt. Smith during the course oil
an hour and a half conversation
with them, of the exact events tc
take place on December 7, not only
as to what would happen, but also
how and when. My only error was
that the Japanese were after foul
battleships and they got five.
"I also gave them the reasons fol
my conclusions and advised them
Of the steps necessary to prevent
such an attack. From time to time
in contact with the staff, I would
voice possibilities, and only two
months before the attack, amazed
at unrealistic attitudes, I said
When are we going to stop these
surprise inspections and prepare
for surprise attacks?" ;,
Bloch Then Commandant.
Capt. Zacharias commented fur
ther:
"One Of the contributing factors