Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-04-03
FORBES ORDERED
LIEUT.. WHITENER
REPORT PRINTED
In Letter Published Today He
Takes Responsibility; De-
cIareS He Furnished Dele
gate Kuhio One Copy Last
November

Charles r. Forbes, superintendent
CT public works, in a letter to the Ad-
yertiser, published this morning, re-
yeais himself as the man who ordered
the "Whitener report" on the National
Guard printed in the Hawaiian Ga.
zette office and took about 100 copies
to Washington.
Superintendent Forbes, letter is the
latest contribution to the rapidly
changing controversy regarding this
letter. In addition TO stating that he
Is the author, he denies that he ignor.
ed Delegate Kuhio in allowing others
TO see the report. He says he sent a
copy 10 Kuhio at the latter's residence
before either he or Kuhio left for
Washington last November He de-
MES that the report was ever publicly
circulated
His letter says in part:
"A great mystery has been thrown
over the identity of the public official
who. ordered the printing of this re-
port, and that mystery ] will first un-
VEIL ordered the report printed and
the work was done in The Advertiser
job office | have never made any
secret OF this and there is not and
never was any reason for any mystery
or secrecy. Ny reasons were simple.
] was under, instructions to proceed to
Washington In the interest of certain
legislation desired by the Governor OF
kthe Territory, one of the bills for
which ! was 10 work providing that
the Acknowledgement of the Hawaii
National Guard should be an APP
pointee Of the President. in order that
there might be a continuity In the
policy OF the guard administration
and that the National Guard might be
placed wholly outside OF any POSSIBLE
ity OF partisan politics.. The national
government desired this; the various
ranking officers Of the regular army
In Hawaii had expressed their APP
proval OF II, and the governor desired
It. As 3 matter Of fact. am quite
prepared to state that nineitenths Of
the citizens Of Hawaii desire 1t.
Did Not Hear All Report Read.
This report was not read to me in
its entirety, but the portion read stat
ed that the matter OF the appointment
Of the acknowledgement by the Presi-
dent, inetead of by the governor, was
At8Aiy 0DcMduics anu cApFcSoSu Tic
opinion TO Gen. johnson that such b |
report, while available to the mem. |
bers Of Congress on application to the i
bureau OF militia, probably would not !
be seen by the AVERAGE congressman I
and that II would be advisable to have i
q number of copies available for those
members whom / might interest in
the general Hawaiian legislature.
Il wish to state here and most en-
phaticallE that this report was never
publicly Circulated. One hundred cop /
les Of IL were ordered printed. The
job was Aurried. first received the
report on November L. I left for'
Washington on November Is. On
November IS sent copy Of the re-
port to Prince Kuhlo, Delegate TO
Congress. sending special unessen-
rer 70 Die home al Waikiki. This
messenger. Manuel Cook, personally
delivered the copy Of the report. along
with whatever other printed matter
] was to take to Washington, and the
deleEate personally received II.
The other copies OF the report, with
the exception Of two copies. which '