Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-18
APPOINT INVESTIGATOR


III HE more the graft" situation de-
velops the more apparent does Il
Il become that a special attorney
must be selected and put in control
of the investigation of this matter.
The attitude Captain Fredericks has
assumed is that ofba man who de-
clines to believe in the existence of
graft, instead of that of a public Off
cial eager and willing to trace fear
lessly the ugly rumors to their sources.
and let in every possible ray Of light
on a matter as to which the public has
a right to be fully enlightened, and
viii demand to be fully and completely
enlightened. For some weeks now the
subject has been one of intense public
interest but no progress has been made
by Captain Fredericks' Office In placing
the public in a position to know the
facts which exist, and are from time
to time limited at The Herald there
fore believes it speaks fer the public
when it renews the suggestion that
the superior court judges, acting with
the grand jury, select some disinter-
ested attorney of ability and make
him special prosecutor in charge of
the graft investigation. Our neigh
Dor, Los Angeles Express, which is ever
enlisted on the side of good citizen
ship, has this to say on this most i'm
portant matter:
"In an excellent editorial that pre-
serves judicial tone throughout, The
afrarr min 10
status of the Investigation into the
charges that vice was formerly pro-
tected by the mayor and the board
of police commissioners. 1t pereeives
that in consequence of the dissensions
that have arisen between the district
attorney and his former deputy, the
real issues are In danger of being OBJ
secured and the cause of Justice in
jured-perhaps baffed. Accordingly. it
suggests that the superior court judges,
acting with the grand jury, select
some disinterestted attorney of ability
and make him special prosecutor in
charge of the graft Investigation
Elsewhere in this Issue we reprint that
editorial, together with one from to-
days Examiner, which, without MAX
ing the same suggestion, takes the
ground that the controversy into which
the district attorney has fallen makes
his position exceedingly delicate. The
Examiner accurately says: What the
people want to know is whether the
charges of protected vice in Los An
geles made by Mr.. Woolwine are true
or not Our judgment confirms the
declaration of our contemporary. The
people not only want to know-they
are entitled to know and they are re-
solved to know.
Accordingly we should be glad to
see the suggestion respectfully adj
vanced by The Herald taken under
consideration by those who sit in au-
thority. The situation complicated by
discussions among officials we would
have been glad to see fighting Shout
der to shoulder for social decency, calls
for the exercise of the power invoked
by our contemporary The main ques-
tion is not whether the district attor-
ney has been insulted by his deputy
or whether the deputy was justified
in attacking his superior officer. That
question may spring from. the main
issue and grow out of 1t, but 1t is in
cidental and subordinate to that issue
and does not define it. The main issue
is the issue as stated by the Exam
| liner: What the people want to know
Is whether the charges of protected
vice in Los Angeles made by Mr.. Wool
| wine are true or not
Cannot the superior court judges. in
! connection with the grand jury, select
| some disinterested attorney of ability
and make him special prosecutor in
charge of the graft investigation? Is
there not some Hughes or Jerome in
the ranks OF the bar OF Los Angeles
county, whose character commands
the respect of the people, whose in
tegrity is unconquerable whose cour-
age is indomitable and whose loyalty
will compel him to the acceptance of
the call to render a public service?
If so, let him be summoned. The hour
has struck, the need Is alive, the pub
lie emergency is great. And they de-
mand the mani"