Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-15
A WAR REFERENDUM.

Editor Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
Sir: hope i may be allowed space
in your valuable paper for a few re-
marks on contributing for the relief
Of the destitute peasants of the war
/ zone r.
Hawaii has already given a large
amount to the relief of the Belgians
and along with the mainland = has
shown herself to be On the job when
it comes to doing something in the
humanitarian line for humanity.
According to report in the Star
Bulletin April %, a Mr.. Bartenay of
Toronto is here soliciting aid "for the
destitute and dispossessed peasants of
Belgium and France" How much
Hawaii will subscribe again for this
cause depends upon the spirit of the
people here. -
| War is terrible Sherman said it
than hell Look at conditions in the
war zone, especially in Belgium. and
Poland. Famine, millions face death
from starvation. Many are living ON,
garbage and potato Feelings left by
the Germans. Disease and pestilence
threaten the lives of these starving
people. Trenches filled with filth and
thousands Of shallow graves are
spreading cholera, typhoid and ty.
plus. In many cases dead animals,
yes and peoples TOO. a,es s II 10 decour
pose above ground. Swarms of flies
gather about these and help to dis.
tribute. disease. Them when the
spring floods start the water flow.
ing through contaminated ground wilE
carry pestilence far and wide. These
people have also, had to stand the
rigors of winter with hardly enough
of the necessities of life TO keep them
comfortable even in iottr own beau
tiful climate of Hawaii. They are
homeless and destitute. Farms and
estates are great burial grounds.
Farmers have become soldiers. The
fieldpiece and howit1ers have taken
the place of the pillow. Shot and shell
has been sown instead of seed and
with the dead as fertilizer they are
reaping a harvest of famine, disease,
restilence, death.
Yet, in the face of all this. Europe's
social centers are gay. laughter and
song drown the cries of the wounded.
Cafes are crowded and long into the
night the pop Of champagne corks
mock the reports of great guns and
rich wines flow with The tears of the
broken-hearted. The ballet, the ope-
ra playing to packed houses mimic
the tragedies of life and drown its fol.
lies, while over the homes of the peo-
pie the greatest tragedy in the worlds
history is being acted with brutal re-
ality.
Millions suffer and moan with pain,
others laugh and play. Millions
starve, their hunger dissatisfied, while
thousands of dollars. are spent to
satisfy the longing for pleasure of
Europe's gay set. why should they
give up their amusements because OF
mere trifle like a war? 1t is too
bad people have to Starve and that
conditions incidental 20 war has brek,
en- up thousands of homes and filled
the land with disease, put it would be
simply horrible if they should have to
give up their pleasures. They should
worry and get wrinkles like broken
hearted, widowed mother, who has
given her all, a sacrifice to the God
of War.
Shall we give? Sure, It is for hui
manity's sake. All the world is akin.
They of the war-swept zone are our
brothers; let's not forget them,
though others nearer are forgetting
or are too thoughtress or too selfish