Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-30
The Star and the Investigation.

Chairman Johnson of the House ris-
frirt committee does Tho star grave
injustice in his statement before the in
V"$'igat ting committee that this paper
has been coioring its reports Of the in
Hestisstiou into district affairs now in
rrnEress. This il not the first time he
has 81 expressed himself and il Is sea l.
sousbe to declare that he is seriously
mistaken in his understanding of The
STAYS position toward this inquiry. 1t
has In no Scnsc or degree at any time
ntsrerresented tho proceedings of the
committee uiIlfuils or consciously. II
has possibly made mistakes such as are
incident to the rapid reporting of the
news. II may at times have inadvert-
cntlr used words not precisely expressive
OF the purpose of qucstioners and per
tsps not fully eXpositcry of the answers
of Witnesses, Rut that there has been
'sry tendency whatever toward a color
ing OF the proceedings has no ;ustifica-
ton III fact. and The Star invites a close
comps rison between it's reports and the
: offcial prescriptions Of the record which
arc printed from day to day and issued
by the committee.
In the matter in question The Star
simply printed the fact that certain
witness, who on the stand had made a
veritsble charge of dishonesty on the
part of a District government official.
had the advantage Of the situation "bc-
cause the committee was quite unvill-
ing TO allow Henry T.. White. former as
ststaut corporation counsel. Daniel Don
orap, DEPUTY auditor. and Mr.. Garges
"a study over kiIleen.s testimony before
the. cross-exarnined him as to their (his,
charges. This is precisely what the
committee did. and precisely what Mr..
Johnson IN his protesting statement be-
fore the committee yesterday SAYS II
did. II was quite within the committees
right. end 10 one has any reason to com
plain except those persons who we're i'm
medisteIy affected
TIL" Star has editoriaily characterized
ti,s investigation by the House District
ecomInittec As an inauisition. not guided
BY the principles of absolute fairness to
sfhe District. 1T has objected to the
treatment of some of the witnesses as
though they were convicted of crimes and
m'sdeIneanors Ii has urged the COM
nIittee TO adopt an attitude of inquiry
rather than ono of prosecution. But il
has never suggested that the inycstiga-
ton. properly conducted. may not lead
TO valuable results for the benefit Of
the District government. and it be-
lieNes that t..esc results arc still possible
and should be sought and will be well
coined by this community. provided they
are not attained through the sacrifice of
the vital principle which governs the
relation between the government and
the District Of Columbia in the main
ttnance of the Capital city
The Star is IN no wise defender of the
improprieties of officials. II there has
been wronsdoing at the District building
IT wants to see those who have been I'M
true to their trust detected and punish
ed. In its plea for fair play It did not
seek TO shield specializing members OF
the board of assessment, nor has 1t at
any time coIdoned the inequties in the
tax assessment. but has always stood
for equalization. Mr.. johnson specifically
mentions I'm this connection the matter
of the drafting Of juries for land con-
de:nnation: The Star has not expressed
itself on this subject. but grasps the
present occasion to declare its belief that
in the main the condemnation of land for
public purposes in this District has been
'SitoaSaSo SaditdOiS dUO IdlTIN ana nom
estiy. with due regard for the rights of
property owners and the interest of the
District and the general government. 1t
believes that the repeated service OF a
comparatively few men upon these
juries and condemnation commissions
has been rather to the benefit Of the
public welfare than to it's disadvantag &c
No more absurd charge has ever been
brought with relation to affairs in the
District OF Columbia than that these
condemnations have been conducted by a
Jury trust" composed of men working
supposedly to the end Of cheating the
public purse. 1t is not to be believed
that the committee itself will entertain
this assertion with any seriousness when
II comes TO review the Testimony and
formulate It's conclusions.
The Star will continue to report the
proceedings OF this investigating com.
mittee, as long as it is permitted to do
so. with strict fairness and accuracy
and irnpartiality, even as II has reported
Them up 70 this time without the slight
est effort at coloring or misrepresen-