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-
tclareS He Furnished Dele
gate kuhio One Copy Last
November

- {. - . T.
Charles X. Forbes, superintendent
OF public works. I'm a letter TO the Adj
vertiser, published this morning, re-
aeals himself as the man who ordered
the "W-hitener report on the National
Guard printed in the Hawaiian Ga
zette office and took about 100 copies
70 Washington.
superintendent Forbes letter is the
latest contribution to the rapidly
changing controversy regarding this
letter. In addition TO stating that he
Is tha author. he denies that he ignur
ed Delegate Kuhio In allowing others
10 see the report He says he sent a
copy TO 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 viii first I'M
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
0E secrecy. My reasons were simple.
was under instructions to proceed to
Washington in the interest OF certain
legislation desired by the Governor of
the Territory, one of the bills for
which ! was to work providing that
the Acknowledgement Of the Hawaii
National Guard should be an ap-
r,rifnf "a - fIt< 11.rasanr4 Dr., ~le,. II, q
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
kenlipg officers of the regular army
n Hawaii had expressed their APP
proval OF Il, and the governor desired
A Nss,a matter OF fact. am quite
prepared TO state that nine-tenths of
the titizehs OF Hawaii desire it.
Did Mot Hear All Report Read.
This report was not read to me in
{ts entirety, but the portion read stat
ed that the matter Of the appointment
Of tht&adjutant general by the Presi-
qepf. instead of by the governor, was
highly desirable, and expressed the
opinion To Gen. Johnson. that such H.
tepof4 whiles Bysi}ables 10 the meneg
bers Of Congress on application to the !
bureau Of 3nilitia. probably would not /;
BE seen BY the average Congressman
and that Il would be advisable to have
. number Of copies available for those |
members whom ] might interest ii1
the general Hawaiian legislature.
Il wish TO state here and most en- |
phatically that this report was never
publicly cincuisted. One hundred cop
les ofaH were ordered printed. The |
Job was hurried. first received the
report on November Is. left for
washington on November is. On |
November IS 1 sent copy Of the re-
port 60 Prince kuhio, Delegate 70 |
Congress, sending special nessen-
Ger 70 his home at 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
delegate personally received it,
THE other copies of the report. with |
tile exception Of two copies, which !