Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-05
OBJECTIONS TO
MILITARY BILL
ON big island
Protests on Compulsory In
structIon to Be Taken Up BY
HiIo Board of Trade
Isneclnl stnr Enllctln corre.pondencel

Especial star Bulletin Correspondence
HILO. April When the HilO
Ioard Of Trade meets next the legiS.
lative committee Of that organization
viii have turned in the following re-
I,Ort, which deals with House Bin No.
I4s. There is decided objection 10 the
rUpOSrd bill and the people OF Hil0
are worked MP over the matter. The
report Of the legislative committee
reads as follows:
G. r Wright,
President Hilo Board Of Trade,
Hilo Hawaii
Dear Sir: The Legislative commit
tee OF the HilO BOard Of Trade beg to
call your attention 10 House Bill NO.
I4S
The bill provides that every able
bodied citizen Lf the territory upon
arriving at the age Of more than TX
years. who shall not Immediately en-
list in the militia. shall take a course
Of instruction OF one year of not less
than IS per DDS OF two hours each in
practical military work. The nature
Of the work is to be determined by
Failure to. perform this military duty
subjects the citizen and his parents
to the penalties of Section 287 OF the
Revised Laws of 1915. instructors Tor
officers) are to be paid $3.50 for each
period Of instruction of two hours. The
sum of $500 is appropriated to carry
out the provisions Of the act.
The act Is very skilfully drawn and
is framed with the apparent intent of
making 1t appear that it is an educa-
tional measure. One clause provides
that the act shall be deemed to be a
portion of the educational system of
the territory. The title OF the act re-
fers to education and instruction and
these words are used in place OF mill
tary duty throughout the act II 1t
becomes a law II viii require compul-
sorry military service Of all men of
this territory who shall reach the age
of more than Is years.
The details OF this compulsory mill
tary service are left to regulations"
to be hereafter put in force. What
compulsory duty viii be required OF
the able-bodied male inhabitants Is not
specified. A first reading Of the bill
would seem to Indicate that the social.
ed course of instruction is to be con.
fined to the care of the United States
service rifle, Workmanship and tar.
get practise. personal hygiene. first
aid and individual cooking" but care
full study of the terms of the bill
shows that II merely includes these
e. 40 ~ he
men of the territory is such practical
military service as is provided by Ger.
tain regulations not now In force
Whether the young men shall be trans.
ported to Honolulu or other portions
OF the territory Is also left to be here
after determined by regulation. .A
The punishment for refusal to per
form the service does not plainly ap.
pear, but is referred to by a section OF
the Revised Laws which is not In the
hands OF everybody who reads the act.
Upon refusal to perform duty the
boy, with his father and mother. can
be brought before the district magis
trate and they can be made to suffer
a fine OF from IS to $50 or imprison
ment for not more than two months.
II the boy is found to be the offend
ing party then he shall be sent to the
reform school for not less than si1
months and not more than two years
The bill is important and affects the
whole territory because II provides
for enforced military service, thing
which is not provided for in any state
OF the United States. Doubtless many
parents would refuse to have their
sons enlist in the militia or serve the
one-year period To escape fine and
Imprisonment such sons must be sent
TO the mainland. This would result in
the loss OF several students to the Col.
lege of Hawaii, to the high schools and
to other institutions of the territory. II
this bill becomes a law, doubtless 9th
er acts will follow, making those who
60 away to avoid military service fugi
tives from the territory and reduce
them to the condition Of those who es
cape from military service in Europ
can countries. @s.-..
The committee recommends the ear
ly consideration OF this bill by q spe,
cial meeting of the Board of Trade.
F. - CARL S. CARLSMITH.
J. w. RUSSELL.
HARRY IRWIN.