Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-18
Charges of Politics Under Col.
Jones' Administration, Made
BY Lieut.. Whitener, Declared
False and Misleading
DELEGATE KUHl0 ASKED
TO PLACE AFFl0AvITS
BEFORE WAR DEPARTMENT I
Veteran Officers Say No Such
State of Affairs Existed as
Former Inspector Instructor
Claims; Deny Hawaiian Of
ficers Removed for lneffi-
ciency

Allegations that politics had ruled
the National Guard of Hawaii prior to
the regime Of Adj-gen. Johnson, and
severe reflections upon Gen. Johnson's
predecessor, Col J. w. Jones, con.
tanned In a report to Washington by
Lieut.. w. G. Whitener. u. S. A., have
stirred to emphatic protest not only
Col. Jones but large number OF guard
officers who have seen the report.
This report, made under date OF
November IL, 1915, is denounced as
deliberately false, malicious and de-
famatory" by guard officers, who,
having read the report, are acquainted
With its contents and who for years
have been members of the Hawaiian
militia.
Col. Jones has taken the matter up
with Delegate Kuhio at Washington
and asked that documentary evidence
to refute Lieut.. Whitener's charges be
Submitted TO the war department.
In this documentary evidence which
is being forwarded, Lieut.. Whitener's
report Is asserted 70 be not only thor
oughly inaccurnte as to fact but un-.
fSir and maliknant "a 70 conclusion.
Lieut Whitsnef came TO Honolulu
about May !, 1914. as inspector-gen.
eral Of the National Guard, remaining
IN this position until o short time ago,
when he was ordered to rejoin the reg
ular infantry. In May, 1915, he made
report to the chief Of the division
OF military affairs, war department,
which report he reiterated in the. re-
port Of last November and largely ex-
panded III the statement which is sub
initted rs the results of his observa-
tions "for the consideration OF the war
department.
Charge 81 Politics Made.
In opening this latter report, he
says:
Conditions after my arrival, and
Until recently. may be summarized as
follows: The organization was large
ly q political one; this was especially
true OF the End Battalion of the regi-
ment composed OF Hawaiians, with
the e4ce1tion of one Chinese company.
This .oHt, poynpany (Chinese) attended
drills more often than the rest and
was more efficient and was hardly a
rart oluhs political machine.
with. the acknowledgement at the
head, the Hawaiian portion Of the Ma
tional GuStl constituted powerful
political ma Shine. most efficient at the
polls, but WITH indifferent and ineffi-.
cient officers at the head. and with
men seldom seen ct the drill hall. II
was almost impossible TO secure the
removal pfrfhese inefficient officers;
each tAs felated TO some senator or
representative. or had some local in-'
fiuence that prevented his removal.
4iowever. by designations and the ap.
pointment OF some few better men, the
personnel improved slightly during
the first year. Some of the dead tim
ber' was gotten rid Of, but with such
a handicap as q political head and
body, indifference and inattention to
duty spread as dry rot through the
entire organization"
Lieut.. Whitener then goes on to
quote from the report Of May II, 1915.
In this he again emphasizes ''the
political character of the present or
ganization." and while crediting the
HawaiiaRs with making good soldiers,
says that ''it. is believed that the Ha-
v'aiian officer in command of q Ha-
waiian company is failure, with two
or three exceptions" and added that
the elimination of politics from the
guard would result ~in as increased
efficiency as can be hoped for"
November Report Refers TO Past.
This ends his quotation from the |
report of May IL, 1915. and he con-
tinues with a much longer discussion
OF the situation as viewed by him last
The past inefficiency of the Ma
tional Guard Of Hawaii as an organi-
ration has not been due to the char
acter OF the officers and men," he
says, cor to notable and exceptional |
local conditions. The fault has been
At the head. To inefficiency and poll.
tics at the head may be traced all the |
other. evils that have made efficiency
To this fountain source |
may be traced directly the appoint
Continued on page eight