The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-04-01

FIJI Denied Telephone
Tapping Privileges
Atferney-Genersl's
Attitude . Handicap
Central Food Control
Scrap Stirred Up
D. RAY TUCKER

StutSo W
D. RAY TUCKER
WASHINGTON FB1 agents
were denied the night To tap the
Honoluiu-Tokyo radio telephone
for two months before the as
sauIt on Pearl Hsrbor because Of
Attorney General Riddle's pre-
occupation with the Harry
Bridges deportation affair. This
sensational revelation was made
BY J. Edgar Hoover NJ . secret
eesRon Of the house judiciary
COMMITTEES during consideration
cf new enactments leEalizing
eounter-espionaSe-
Late in August Of last year
Hoover's Hawaiian representa-
tive decided that Nipponese ac-
tivities on the islands would bear
watching. On September 2 he
applied 70 Washington for per-
mission TO listen in on all Jap
anese lines Of communication
within the territory and those
connecting with Japan. Under
departmental regulations no fed
ersl sleuth may cut In on a wire
without the specific approval Of
the attorney general n Vas not
until October Is that r. % RS
ehiss legal officer got around TO
forwarding his consent to the in
tsilisence service at our Pacific
outpost
During that critical period
Biddle was Investigating the al
legged communist practices Of
west coast ionkshoremen. During
the protracted inquiry one of
Hoover's aides eavesdropped
Bridges telephone in . New
York hotel The latter's various
defense committees lodged bitter
protests with the department Of
justice. demanded the arrest Of
the interceptor and tried TO de-
feat confirmation Of Biddle on
the basis Of the incident.
The ultrn-hberal philadelphia
was 10 upset by the episode that
he deferred action on the Homo
lulu request until he had cleaned
up the domestic problem. There
fore the delay. Note; Even after
the FIJI submitted evidence Of
japanese Vaccinations against
our naval base. Commanding
General walter short refused TO
pay any attention to IL.
Despite this unhappy expert
ence. spckesmen for the sttor-
ney-genersI informed the COM
mittes thai he insisted on re-
tanning the authority 10 grant
or withhold permission To wire
tap even in cases involving
espionage. sabotage or subver-
sive activities. Hoover described
the Hawaiian happenings to
show why Biddls's demand
should Be disregarded by the
legislators. The congressional
reaction appears 10 be anti
Biddis.
Almost simultaneously the
A. c. evidenced his tenderness
toward enemy nationals by OPP
posing the Russell Stewart
measures permitting their arrest
on suspicion. especially those
who have q previous criminal
record but cannot BE- held under
existing law. Almost 1000 for
eigners Of this class are now At
large because they cannot he in
generated. Assistant Immigra-
ton Chief Marshall y. Dimock
explained that Mr.. Biddls feared
the effect ri such a cstch-sll
scheme. England. he said.
rounded w $4,000 aliens about
10 years ago and precipitsted
diplomatic repercussions
throughout Europe Under close
examination he conceded that
Britain's troubles were not pert
inent because she Was not then
engaged in . life-and-death
conflict.
Dimock startled his hearers
By relating that 5000 wealthy
American-born japanese re-
turned 70 their homeland a year
before the Pearl Harbor blow.
and came back to propagsndize
for Tokyo on the west coast.
The D. Of J. apparently knew
all about that but did nothing.
In fact. Mr.. Biddie's slowness in
arranging for removal OF hostile
agents from this area has
brought protests from the Pa
eific states.
Claude r Nicksrd has stirred
Q quiet fuss In high circles with
his repeated demands for estab-
hshmenf Of . central agency 70
handle all phases Of Americas
food problem. After battling
| i Z / Z
FAIRGROUNDS REDl
NEW soek. ~ ~
sAvcaoUsos