Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-16
~. :....'.. 81. ~ ~. : w. II. LAP / LIE.
SUNDAY SHOWS AT LEILEHuA;
BISHOP RESEARCHES VIEW

Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletln, ~'.
Sir:-The discussion of having
shows at Leilehua on Sunday nights
is drawing out some extraordinary
opinions as to the violation of law.
am not now advocating the Sunday
law of this territory nor any Sum-
day laws whatever. The question is
this: Is there law in this Territory
or Hawaii which forbids the holding
of shows on Sunday when an admis-
sion fee is charged? The answer is:
Such law exists.
The next question is, does the law
apply to the lands held by the United
States government and used as army
posts or barracks? 1t appears that the
United States distric tattorney says
that the law of the territory does ap-
ply to the United States army posts.
That Sunday entertainments of
vaudeville, etc, have been frequently
held at .Leilehua is admitted. These
being the circumstances, | cannot I'M
derstand how officers or men OF the
United States army can deliberately
advocate the breaking of law on any
plea whatever. Does not the army
stand for the enforcement of law and
order? Yet here we have men of the
army arguing that the law should be
broken because by so doing amuse-
ment is given, or that the breaking of
the law tends to keep the soldiers
in garrison"
1t may well be granted that clean
show on Sunday night is better than
loafing around. 1t may well be adj
mitted that mo good can be, ,accon1p-
lished by depriying the soldier of
innocent amusement" But the simple
questio mis- this, is law to be broken
because it gives people amusement
or because the breaking of the law
does local good? es..z. H..
! am not going to argue the ques-
ton of Sunday law. | have a good
deal of sympathy for what officers
and men have written, but / am sur
prised that these officers. and men
argue that the law of this territory
should be openly violated in United
States army posts for any reason
whatever. .''..-.. .='-E>
have letter which says that
the various troops which go to Leile-
hua could go on week day, and that
the management has so stated. Of
this / know nothing personally, but
this seems very plain to me-that If
the officers and men of the United
States army want Sunday entertain
ment, it would be well, before the
legislature adiourns, for the army Of
ficers to get someone to introduce
bill to change the present law. This
would be reasonable, and certainly
would be more loyal to the cause of
law and order than to break a law
and to defend the breaking of it. If
this principle prevailed, o fbreaking
a law because people in a locality
found it pleasant and profitable to
break it, and to defend the violation
of law on these grounds, we should
have a strange condition of lawless-
ness. If a certain territorial law is
broken at Leilehua, why should not
others be broken and the violation
of such be defended on the same
grounds?
Again stating that / do not try to
enforce my ideas of the Lords Day on
anyone, and that syfnpathize with
the officers and soldiers in their de-
sire for amusements, l do again pro-
test against making excuses for the
breaking of law such as have been
advanced We need nothing more than
we need a respect for law
-..~.-. HENRY B. RESTARICK,
April 16, 1913
nfbor b,-o pohoc DC uroIl &c tho work