Evening star., 1946-01-05
Stark Says Navy
Missed Meaning
Of Spy Notes
Mass of Messages
DECIDED, Admiral
Reminds Probers
By J. A. O'LEARY and
CARTER BROOKE JONES.

The Navy Department did not
realize the significance of spy
messages intercepted late in 1941,
indicating Japanese were gath
ering detailed information about
the fleet in Pearl Harbor. Ad-
miral Harold R. Stark, who was
Chief of Naval Operations at the
time, told the congressional in
yestigating committee today.
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan, read three of these mes
sages, decoded on December 4, S
and 6, 194l, which the Senator said
indicated the Japs were concen-
trating on getting information about
Hawaii. Hawaii was attacked on the
morning of December 7,
SO far as know, the significance
OF those messages, from the great
mass OF messages that were coming
IN, was not realized as it is now
IN the light of subsequent events,"I
AuIllrdl STARK said.
Aides Weeded Out Messages.
He testified they would come
across his desk if they had been
eValuated as important, but he did
not recall having seen them.
Senator Ferguson pointed out that
IL was the duties of officers serving
under Admiral Stark to select the
slgnlflcant from the insignificant.
Admiral Stark said that was true
and defended his aides. declaring
I'VE had good men" doing that work
Senator Ferguson reminded the
admiral that in October, 1941, a.
change was made in the Office of
Naval Intelligence, when Vice Ad-
mlral Theodore S. Wilkinson was
made director of that office. The
Senator said the new director had
no previous experience in the in
telligence branch.
Admiral Stark said the assign
ment required no special training
and added, Admiral Wilkinson is
a brilliant man and was known as
SUCH"
When Senator Ferguson asked
Admiral Stark if he ever made an
investigation into the evaluation of
the intercepted messages. the wit
ness said that after the Pearl Har-
Dor attack he was more concerned
with the prosecution of the war
than with post-mortems, and
pointed out that he was sent to
take charge of naval forces in
Europe.
Forrestal Order Mentioned.
The only man who has been CEN
sured in connection with this and
other matters is myself" Admiral
stark observed.
This was his first direct reference
since taking the stand to the order
made public last August by Secre-
tary of the Navy Forrestal, as part
OF the Navy report on Pearl Harbor
directing that Admiral Stark should
not hold any position in the Navy
which requires the exercise of su-
perior judgment. Admiral Stark
was already retired at the time.
Senator Ferguson then brought
out, however, that in the spring of
1912, a few months after the Pearl
Harbor attack, Admiral Stark was
praised by the late Secretary of the
Navy Knox and decorated by the
late President Roosevelt for his serv-
ice as chief of naval operations dur
ing the difficult period from 1899
to 1912.
AT the request of committee mem
bers, the Knox letter and the Roose-
velt citation were read into the rec
ord. Senator Ferguson also brought
out that Admiral Stark commanded
the naval forces in Europe until the
end of the war.
In his letter of March q, 1912, MI.
Knox said no one had been of great
er assistance to him as Secretary
than Admiral Stark.
A fSw weeks later Mr.. Roosevelt
AWARDED him gold star in lieu of
second Distinguished Service Med