Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-26
THE scLoIER.

Il Z -
Honolulu. July "a, 1915
Sir: Undersigned would be very
thankful II you would publish the fol-
lowing lines in your worthy paper:
Quite often since | came to Homo
lulu did read In your paper the ques-
ton: What can we do for the sol
diers? In fact ! was not very inter-
ested in those arguments, having-like
so many other people-the impression
that the soldiers were not fit to asso-
ciate with the civilian population Oh
Honolulu.
am honest enough though to admit
my error about these boys In khaki
since had occasion to be among them
for several hours.
| was invited by several noncom-
missioned olicers to attend the night
firing at Fort De Russy and must
say ! did learn something there.
In the first place saw that our
soldiers do understand their business
thoroughly and handle their duties
willingly, and. as 1t seemed to me, en-
joyed their certainly not light duty.
Every action had the chance to OBJ
serve proved sound and plentiful train
ing and the results were good.
But another thing l saw which cut
me deeply; that was my mistake In
judging these soldiers from hearsay.
There were several hundred soldiers
of all branches assembled on top of
the Fort De Russy battery but there
was no rough house or anything else.
There was no swearing or tough talk
all through the three or four hours
was up there right between them. /
listened to a jolly conversation, mixed
with good and refreshing jokes.
And one incident certainly deserves
to be mentioned as significant. There
was a young noncommissioned Off
Ger, artilleryman, in the crowd, GER
tainly neat and at the same time mill
tary-looking man accompanying q
young lady-every inch American, too
lin such a manner that they drew
everybody's attention toward them,
not because 1t was out of the way
but one could not help to see this
gentleman soldier might lcall him
treating his companion In such q re-
fined and tender way that even the
biggest crouch sor soldier hater had
to consent there was one soldier you
could find no fault with.
And where there Is one there must
be more. This young lady certainly
did make a hit with the crowd of sol
diers around me when we heard her
say: "Oh, am so very glad that
you invited me out here. You know 1t
makes me feel so wonderful safe to
be among all these soldiers.
One of our crowd, sergeant, due
70 60 back to the rhainiaM1s burst out:
by Jcye, wouldn't mind staying an
other enlistment on this Island II any
lady would say that to me. Well.
this as little episode, just to show
that our soldiers have the desire to
get into the company OF the Honolulu
people. But they don't want to 60
down on their knees and beg for It.
They want to be treated as men and
I have got the, impression that there
is many young man who deserves to
have good friends under the civilian
population going the wrong way with
bitter feeling against the whole city
and also against himself and his uni
form
And is 1t not q high standard OF
phariseeism Of the Honolulans to con-
slider themselves too good for the sol
diers' company. Why, then, do they
invite the soldiers to come to their
churches and why do they smile at
them as long as they are in church
only to turn up their noses at them as
soon as they come in to the street?
How about 1t, II there would come
real call to arms? Would the Homo
iulans still have contempt for the
khaki boys?
In my opinion the only thing every
sensible man or lady should do Is to
use their common sense and look at
the man, not the uniform he is wear
Ing.
There might be day when our boys,
ready to die for all those people who
have snubbed them whenever they
could, might turn the table and refuse
the hand of the civilian.
Whose fault viii it be If they feel
bitter toward us?
Who is going to blame them for not
trying to show their good sides. know
ing that nobody takes notice OF 1t or
appreciates It?
Thanking you. very much for your
kindness | remain,
Yours truly,
WILLIAM J. RICE.
WHAT rs THE MATTER WITH THE