Evening star., 1932-01-12
CABINET DISCUSSES
HAWAII OUTLAWRY.
Secretary Adams Puts Data
on Island Conditions Be-
EE fore President.
fcontinued From First Page.)

exaggerated reports on the mainlaid
of danger to white women in Hawaii
Judd made the following statement
regarding the trial of the five men
charged with the assault on Mrs. Mas
sic:
1.-TWO defendants defended by Judge
Heen, former judge Circuit Court
later city and county attorney ana 1or
several years and now member Ierrl-
torial Senate, served as member Gov
ernor's Crime Commission and record
outstanding and unblemished.
1.-TWO defended by William Pittman,
brother of Senator Key Pittman (Ne-
vada), and also with unquestioneo
record. Remaining man defended by
Robert Murakami, appointed by court,
as had no funds. See 5000 allowed by
court. After preparation, the actual
trial consumed three weeks. Senator
Heen and Mr.. Pittman both made writ
ten statements that their fees were com
paratively small and were paid entirely
by relatives of defendants.
Prosecutor states but two police ofn-
GERS made reports to defense attorneys
instead of to county attorneys ofhce;
that some others were called as defense
witnesses as to facts already reported
to prosecutor"
Vinson Gets Facts.
The cablegram came while Chair
man Vinson of the House Naval Com
rnittee was designating subcommit-
tee to study data submitted to him by
Admiral Pratt, who had given him the
complete naval file dealing with con-
ditionS in Honolulu.
The Admiral was asked In the COM
rnittee today If there was any chance
that Mrs. Fortescue might be tried be-
fore a naval court martial instead OF In
O civil court.
Admiral Pratt replied that the Navy
had no Jurisdiction in murder cases In
territorial waters of the United States.
Delegate Houston then interrupted to
say: .r
clude in these papers all evidence that
Aere have been 40 similar rape cases?
Ee are distressed byond measure by this
disturbance. We are determined that
there shall be no exaggeration and
xalm judicial approach to the question"
Pratt replied the figure 40 appeared
n a report from Admiral Stirling, COM
mandant at Hawaii. as well as in news
paper dispatches from Honolulu. Then
Houston said:
CdSt ID JIplGAtNNlLANA DO 49, w.
we know. There has been only one
other case Of attempted rape OF a white
woman"
The Department of Justice investiga-
ton already is under way In its pre-
lininary phases. The United States Bu-
reau of Investigation has q representa-
tive assigned to Honolulu, but he is in
this country at present. He viii return
to his post shortly.
1t was believed Assistant Attorney
General Nugent Dodds, in charge Of
criminal matters, might be assigned to
conduct the departments inquiry. Spe-
cial agents of the Bureau Of InveStiga-
ton are expected to aid.
Mitchell Gets Dispatches
The desire to avoid making public
"anything that would cast a shadow on
the ISLANDS" and the wish to give local
authorities opportunity to rectify con-
ditions had deferred the Navy Depart
nent previously from revealing the true
situation at Honolulu, Admiral Pratt
said in statement issued late yester-
day.
Admiral Pratt added that Attorney
General Mitchell, at his request, had
been furnished with a complete file Of
dispatches and reports on the Honolulu
situation. Senator's Hale and Bingham
and Representative Vinson also have
been given "the complete file Of dis
patches In the case, and also Rear Ad-
miral Strings report Of December 23."
Pratt Explains Navy Stand.
Admiral Pratt's statement follows:
''The department about December 13
took official cognizance of reported dis
orders in Honolulu. On that day we
received a dispatch from Rear Admiral
Stirling relative to an attack on one of
the five defendants at large on bail,
following mistriaAin the case Of assault
on young naval officers wife.
Press reports had indicated something
amounting to internal turmoil in Homo
lulu, and as result the department
asked Admiral Stirling if he thought
conditions warranted cancellation of
the fleets visit to Honolulu in Febru
Rry Admiral Strings reply indicated
that efforts were being made, appar-
emily successfully, to control the situa-
tion.
"On December II further official re-
ports from the islands indicated that q
tense feeling was developing. What
appeared TO be gang of hoodlunS was
insulting naval personnel and their
families, and a message had been sent
personnel at the submarine base at
Pearl Harbor further threatening to
get naval women. The naval authori-
ties in the islands strengthened Navy
patrols in the vicinity of naval homes.
The department then dispatched mes
sage to Admiral Stirling, directing him
to confer with the governor and proper
civil authorities to see what measures
were to be taken to prevent further
attacks or threats on naval personnel,
and what protection could be expected.
Navy Demands Cleanup.
eve pointed out that unless protec-
ton against lawlessness were assured
us by civil authorities the civil officials
must accept the responsibility we might
be forced to take to protect our own
personnel against the lawleSs acts of
outsiders. Admiral Stirling held the
necessary conference, and radioed the
department that civil authorities had
announced they were going to take i'm
mediate action. We were glad to re-
ceive this word, as 1t was fartheSt from
our intention to make public anything
that would cast shadow on the islands.
"On December 81 I radioed Admiral
Stirling that we were fully in sympathy
with efforts being made to clean up
conditions in the community, and di-
rected him to cooperate in every way.
I pointed out, however, that in view of
the number of assault cases on white
women, the apparent light punishment
for several such cases, and the niStrial
In the case Of the naval officers wife,
the matter was one that demanded ac-
ton rather than promises. I advised
Admiral Stirling to point out to the
governor that it would be unsafe to
send the feet there unless police and
hoodlum conditions were thoroughly
cleaned up, for we believed that Ameri-
can men would not stand for violation
of their women under any circum-
stances, and had taken the law into
their own hands repeatedly in the past
In such cases where justice was not
meted out.
Staying Cancels Fleets Visit.
SAdniral Stirling informed LIS on