Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-01-15

row are Admiral Pratt of the Navy
Secretary Adams, the Secretary of War
the Attorney General and the Hawaiian
delegates. There was a brief debate
over whether the resolution should &C
to the committee before being acted
on. After he had been advised that
the Territories Committee would meet
tomorrow to consider what report
should be made on the resolution Sen
ator Mcclellan did not press further
for action today.
Before it was decided to await re-
port from the Territories Committee
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho
indicated he wanted to be heard before
the Senate takes final action.
Il want to be heard as to whether
there ought to be Senate investiga-
Gion," Senator Borah said He added
that the people of Hawaii have diff
f1cult situation confronting them ano
that he is not in favor OF placing
them on trial by the Senate before
there is an opportunity to see whether
they can work out the problem"
Wilbur to Testify.
Secretary of the Interior Wilbur will
appear tomorrow before the House COM
mittee investigating the Hawaiian sit
uation. The Secretary, who has charge
of Hawaiian affairs, said today he would
be in position to answer all questions.
He has refrained from making any
statement other than to say that he
had confidence in Gov. Lawrence M.
Judd and that he was certain the civil
government there would be able to han
die the situation.
Thorough Probe Ordered.
thorough overhauling of the law
enforcement machinery in the Islands
may result from a study to be conducted
on the spot Immediately by Seth w.
Richardson, Assistant Attorney General.
Outcome OF the MaSSie- Fortescue in
cident in Honolulu the Justice Depart
ment investigation, requested by Senate
resolution, took definite form last night
with announcement of detailed instruc-
tons from Attorney General Mitchell
to his assistant.
Richardson will leave at the earliest
possible time with staff of six or more
aides; will study every angle of the local
enforcement machinery with a view to
possible recommendations for changes,
and will go also into the operation of
Federal courts there in prohibition and
narcotic cases.
Mitchell made it clear he was not In
any way prejudging the agencies OF
justice in the islands, nor intimating
that reorganization was needed, but he
asked Richardson to study courts, police,
jury systems and parole board.
He is to ascertain whether, under
present administration of the organic
law of the islands, jurors of the best
type are obtained; whether the parole
system is operated on modern lines:
whether the efficiency and discipline OF
the police are open to improvement,
and similar points.
At the same time he was given
blanket authority to go into any phase
of the matter that you deem advisa BILE. y
The Massie- Fortescue case will be
gone into from the ground up, gather
ing information on the spot in complete
disregard of already accumulated state
ments, so as to avoid any distortion and
exaggeration.
Court Rules to Be Probed.
The Federal Court part of the in
quiry, unconnected with the present
case, was ordered by Mitchell because
he held. efficiency of Federal statute
enforcement had a vital bearing on the
general crime situation
Richardson was specifically advised TO
20 into the rules of evidence in criminal
cases, such as the law preventing con-
viction In assault cases solely on evil
dence of the prosecutrix Mitchell said
it was not clear to him that corrobora-
ton should be required on identity OF
the offender, If the fact that force had
been used was properly established.
Richardson probably will sail from
San Francisco, January % aboard the
President Lincoln, which is due In
Honolulu February 4.