Evening star., 1932-01-10
MASS|E ASSURED
KAVY'S SUPPORT.
Statement by Pratt Says
Americans Will Protect
Their Women.

| iiiCiI WOlitcIt.
| Support for Lieut.. Thomas H. Massie,
| youthful submarine officer charged with
murder In Honolulu as an outgrowth of
an attack on his wife by five men of
mixed blood, was seen yesterday in @
strongly worded statement from the
chief Of naval operations.
At the same time the Navy Depart
ment announced the feet would not
visit Honolulu during annual maneu-
verS next month off Hawaii.
American men will not stand for
the violation Of their women under any
circumstances" Admiral William V.
Pratt said. For this crime they have
taken the matter into their own hands
repeatedly when they have felt that the
law has failed to do justice"
Unsafe, Says Pratt.
Massie, his mother n-law, Mrs. Gran
vile Fortescue, New York and Wash
ington society woman, and two enlisted
sailors are held in Honolulu on charges
OF murder. They are accused of kid
naping and Staying young Hawiian
suspected OF being one OF the five who
attacked Mrs. Massie last September.
Pratt said the decision not 70 let
Navy men go ashore at the city was
taken because we believe it will be un-
safe to send the feet to anchor near
Honolulu, for acts of violence which
might result in bloodshed are almost
certain to take place under present cir
cumStanceS."
At the same time the Navy Depart
ment released an exchange Of messages
with Rear Admiral Stirling, command
ing officer Of the Hawaiian area. These
revealed the tense feeling between Navy
men and details surrounding the as
sault on Mrs. Massie.
Admiral Pratt instructed the COM
mander in chief of the feet, Admiral
Schofield, stationed at San Diego, Calf,
to carry out the Winter training exer-
cises off Hawaii as planned, but to deny
shore liberty to the ships crews on
Oahu Island, where Honolulu is located.
Instead, the fleet will sail immedi-
ately for Lahaina Roads, 10 miles away
on the Island of Maui, until ready to
return to the American West Coast In
March for further maneuvers. Liberty
may be granted on any other island.
Conditions "Intolerable."
Admiral Stirling, in one Of his re-
ports, described the present police situ-
alton in Honolulu as "intolerable:
Another officer, Admiral Pattengill, /
commander of minecraft stationed at
Pearl Harbor, warned that it was not
safe for officers to bring their wives
with them for the feet exercises.
"The most serious aspects OF this
case and the general situation" Strl-
ing said, "are the inefficiency OF the
police due to the system Of political
appointments, lack of a qualified man
or men to conduct the prosecution, and
that persons Of mixed blood who have
been selected as jurymen in assault
cases have shown such apathy toward
the crime that just verdict Is oouot-
full"
The slain Hawaiian had been tried
once for the attack on Mrs. Massle,
mistrial resulting. He was awaiting
new trial when slain.
The maneuvers in which Army and
NAVY forces will contest with SINH |
lar group in an attack upon the Ha-
waiian Islands will be held from Feb
Euary to II. The war problem In
which the Scouting Force will defend
the West Coast Of the United states
with the Battle Force forming the in
yading enemy will follow March
3-23.
Liberty Is Curtaiied.
Admiral Pratt in his message TO the
head of the fleet, said: s.e
Liberty may be granted at any Is
land except Oahu, the situation there
being too tense to permit 1t.
You are authorized to modify the
schedule within reasonable limits, II
YOU so desire, in order that the fleet
may not be forced to stay any UNDUE
length of time at Lahaina, Wnlch
might affect morale and efficiency"
Admiral Pratt not only gave sum-
mary of conditions leading up TO tns
action, but released number OF ofnclai
documents throwing further light on
the disturbed conditions.
Ever since December -, 1t was re-
vealed. the Navy Department mas peen
considering changing the plan OF ma. |
neuvers. Secretary Adams olsclosea
Thursday that the war games might
even be called off entirely, as lar as
the Hawaiian Islands are concerned.
The incident that brought conditions
acutely into focus was the ,attack Oh
the Young naval officers Wife
Admiral Pratt thus describes II;
con the night OF September II, 1881,
the wife of young naval oHlcer Was
abducted near Honolulu by five men OF
mixed blood, taken to a deserved spoC'
attacked repeatedly, horribly beaten
and abandoned. The trial OF the case
commenced November 16. @ Inc
defendants were placed at large oii
bail. A retrial is scheduled.
Delegate Files Protest.
V 8 K. Houston, Delegate in Con-
gress from Hawaii, who is the son of
rear admiral and himself attended tne
Naval Academy and served until hls
retirement as commander IN 1870 mas
protested in a letter TO secretary
Adams, the statement mace py Neai :
Admiral Pettengill, who recommended
that naval officers leave their wives at !
home. because of conditions in HaWall.
Acting Gov. Brown of Hawaii ike
wise contested the Pettengin statement.
terming 1t most Ill advised" Naval
officials, however, backed up their rep
resentatives in the islands
The correspondence made public by
the Navy yesterday showed naval au-
thorities in Hawaii declined to turn
over naval personnel to police for pos
sible identification by japanese,
Horace Ida, one OF the hVe unoer
scrutiny for the attack on MRS; Massle;
Ida was beaten while out on bail ana
naval personnel were suspected.
On December IT official reports in
dicated that tense feeling was develop
ing between the Navy men and prowling
gangs. At the submarine base at Pearl
Harbor the strength of the patrol was
increased to guard naval homes.
Cooperation Called For.
Admiral Stirling was directed to CO.
operate with ciyjl authorities on De,
cember 18 in message from Admiral
Pratt, who said: You should make 1t
clear that the NAVY expects proper
protection against lawlessness, and II
the civil authorities cannot give us that
they must accept the responsibility for
the position We may be forced to take
in the protection Of our own personnel
from the lawless acts Of outsiders"
Authorities at the Navy Department
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