Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-11-24
RILEY H. ALLEN
THANKSGIVING, 1915.

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To tell why Hawaii is thankful on the eve o
the last Thursday in November, 1915, mean
primarily to pick out only few of some of tn
countless reasons for happiness
The territory was thankful last year becaus
the American people were not as nation in
volved in the mightiest, bloodest and most de
vastating war In history.
We as an integral part of the nation hay,
ten-fold reason this year to rejoice in freedom
from strife. For in the interval between No
vember, 1914, and November, 1915, We have
passed through an international crisis so acut,
that for many weeks the country's leaders hay,
not known whether the outcome would be peac,
or war. We have passed between the Scylla .
the Entente Allies and the Charybdis of th'
Central Empires; we have upheld nationa
honor; led the way in asserting the rights O
neutrals; given the world new example of for
bearance; and won by character and diplomac!
what we should have had a very hard time win
ming by force of arms Our points are not al
won yet I'VE have still Just claims that must b,
met, but they will be met now or in the future
and meanwhile our citizenry is not yielding it
life blood. We are winning war without war
The stress of foreign combat, with its tug a
the sympathies and the blood relationships il
the United States, is forging new meaning fol
those two words 8 American citizenship" w
are learning as a nation that we cannot be di
vided into groups. We cannot recognize in oul
citizens any allegiance to foreign governments
potentates or powers. In any question wher,
the United States is involved they must be al
American or on-American. And perhaps ont
AZ r.,
heartily thankful is that the great mass of citi
zens. even those closely bound by ties of blood
with the fighting countries, havei moments d
crisis shown that they are stanch Americans
and have repudiated the comparatively few
mischief-makers and trouble-breeders busily
trying to Advance the interests of some Euro
pean nation while enjoying the freedom and
protection of an adopted country.
In the territory Of Hawaii we have special
reasons for thankfulness The islands are en-
joying great prosperity. The war which has
struck down the commerce Of foreign countries
has been. a commercial boon to Hawaii's CHIEF
industry. And to crown this year of industrial
profit, the spectre of free sugar" next May
has been driven away; and in its stead is q
growing prospect that our industry will never
be Shattered by a removal of the tariff.
But it is not in this special commercial situa
ton alone that We may rejoice. The broad hui
manitarianisln, the sterling Christian work
which has helped Hawaii progress for a great
many years past is developing a signifcantsnev
phase-the phase Of awakening citizenship. Il
is transcending race ties and party names. II
is gathering the momentum of an active moral
force. Some day IN the not far distant future
there win emerge fighting phalanx of men
who combine the zeal of crusaders with the
common sense and intnitive perception of vet
eran politicians. They will bend mental, moral
and physical energy toward ending the ruinous
drift in local public affairs. They will demand
good government in material degree, and they
will fight until they get it.
This movement is especially strong in Homo
lulu. It augurs well for the future. 1t is some
thing for Honolulu to regard with particular
tllankfulness, for in one way or another il
touches the lives and the businesses and the
activities of every man; woman and child in
this city.
There is today, there viii be tomorrow, more
for which to be thankful than one editorial OF
one newspaper issue can express With the
rejoicing of the day should go also the realiza.
ton that there are many, even in Honolulu, in
encouragement, sorrow and perhaps want, and
we may well spare time from our thanksgiving
to help some of those for whom tomorrow has
little happiness in store.
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