Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-07-06
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY estbrook
PeeIer

Baton Rouge. "
A young surgeon who was
instantly torn to tatters by 30
slugs from the guns of Hueys
bodyguarHs was convicted by
Longs biographers and emo
tional public opinion of firing
the shot that killed 1.-The King
fish"
No formal, honest effort ever
was made to mine
whether Long was assassinated
by DR.. Carl Weiss or by his own
bodyguards, whether by acct.
dent or with treacherous intent.
DR.. Weiss might have been
murdered by conspirators in
Huey's own circle of gunner
with intent to place the blame
on dead man.
1t is unlikely that public
opinion ever will be reversed
because the cohorts of The
kingfish," most of them rascals.
many of whom later went TO
prison. had control OF the ma
chinery Of investigation and
they not only prevented intelli-
gent study Of the facts but cre-
ated permanent confusion.
I IKE DR.. Weiss. Rear Adm.
IL II. f. kimmel and Mai. Gen.
Walter Short, the American
commanders in Hawaii when the
japanese attacked Pearl Har-
Dor. have been placed under a
cloud of presumed guilt. al
though neither officer ever has
been tried or served with any
formal accusation.
The only charges ever brought
against them were contained in
the formal. unjudicial "concl,N
sions" of the Roberts Comm
tee. named by President RoosW
welt soon after the attack, 10
provide a basis for sound de-
cisions.
These officers were accused
and convicted in the same few
words by a quasi-official group
Of five men who. in this capac-
ity. were in the position OF just
so many scandal mongers.
THE inquiry was not a court
l. martial but kangaroo
court.
Neither the admiral nor the
general was given the same OPP
portunity TO protect his name
and the public interest and 10
establish the truth OF great.
historical disaster. that is given
10 a mildewed bum accused Of
jack rolling IN an ordinary
Aperican police court.
Both officers were assured
that they were not ON trial in
the Roberts inquiry.
Indeed. in the legal sense,
they were not. for the commit.
tee had no right 10 try them.
And, because they were not
ION trial" they were denied
their right 10 trial counsel and
their right TO oss-examlne wit
neSSes.
Nevertheless. in its closing
paragraphs. the Roberts report,
fiouting much OF It's own earlier
text. did convict these men OF
"derellction Of duty"
THIS committee was President
Il Roosevelt's own creature
and beholden 10 him. although
Mr.. Roosevelt. also. has a per-
sonal stake IN the case under
investigation.
Some phases Of his own coz
duct were open TO question an
possibly 10 condemnation.
But. by reason Of his position.
he stood above the jurisdiction
Of the Roberts committee while
kimmel and Short were exposed
10 inquiry, blame and disgrace.
Few Of the American people
10 whom the Roberts report
actually was addressed have
the patience or the discriminate
ing. studious analytical ability
10 parse a document so long
and tedious and detect its in
conslstencies.
Few of them realize that the
Roberts inquiry was rush act,
prejudicial even 10 sober Justice,
and that its report was calcu-
lated 10 pre- Judge kimmel and
Short and eliminate President
Roosevelt.
In the fight over the Roose-
welt court-packing plan few
Americans studied the bill and
the debates with sufficient in
telllgenCe ana care 10 learn
that il would have affected all
the federal courts.
Thus. to this day. the common
belief is that this was a scheme
affecting the Supreme Court
only.
Similarly. probably not more
than one citizen in thousand
has studied the Roberts report.
The result is that these Amer.
leans whom the New Deal re-
fers TO as common" men and
"the masses" have been in.
dicted" or convicted" of hor.
rible betrayal OF duty and trust.
The fact is. however. that 10