Our Honolulu
Are we repeating mistakes of 1941?
By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist
One Pearl Harbor story that has a lesson to teach about response to terror is that of newsman Hugh Lytle, Associated Press bureau chief in Honolulu when the bombs fell.
By 8:05 a.m., he was dressed in his uniform as a first lieutenant in U.S. Army intelligence and reported for duty to Col. Kendall J. Fielder, Army G2 chief at Fort Shafter and later military governor for the territory.
The information comes from Lytle's son, David, a school teacher, who writes that his father at age 99 is now living in Novato, Calif.
Remember that Our Ho-nolulu was in the grip of terror that day after a surprise attack. Even now, it's not easy to separate fact from rumors that grew more incredible with each telling.
The editors of The Advertiser swallowed a report of sabotage. On Dec. 8, a banner headline read, SABOTEURS LAND HERE!
The story continued with scanty details: "Renewed Japanese bombing attacks were reported ... be on the watch for parachutists in Kalihi ... Brief machine-gun firing was heard from several points downtown and along the waterfront.
"Warning that a party of saboteurs had been landed on northern O'ahu was given early Sunday afternoon by the army. The saboteurs were distinguished by red disks on their shoulders."
None of this checked out.
Former Advertiser editor-in-chief George Chaplin, in his book "Presstime in Paradise," wrote: "Publisher Lorrin Thurston and Editor Ray Coll were summoned to Fielder's office (with Lytle sitting in) ... as Fielder lectured Thurston and Coll, told them that if there was a repetition the newspaper would be closed."
Chaplin wrote that this situation never occurred again.
But The Advertiser continued to see boogymen. The following day a story reported that "diligent members of the Honolulu police force and supporting law enforcement groups were active during the night in confiscating numerous short-wave radios and arresting suspicious and noncooperative persons ...
"Police also reported Japanese restaurant operators refusing to sell food. A man of unannounced nationality was apprehended in the Punchbowl area carrying a basket of pigeons."
Sabotage by locals was never authenticated. For this kind of reporting and casting of suspicion, The Advertiser paid a heavy price in credibility that took decades to regain. It seems to me that in our war on terrorism in the United States we are in danger of making a similar mistake.
How can we expect China to obey the rule of law when we impose military tribunals, secretly imprison suspects and violate attorney-client confidentiality?
Lytle was awarded the Bronze Star for his wartime service in Okinawa. Later, he became chief editorial writer for The Advertiser.
Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.
