Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-14
ARGUMENTS FOR and AGAINST
MILITARY BILL MADE At HEARING
Delegate Kuho Questions Loyalty of Japanese Residents to
Terrtory-Big Crowd at Senate Committee Session Hears
Advocates and Opponents Emphasize Views


committee held another rOusin% public
meeting yesterday evening, an audi
cnCe that crowded the senate chamber
listening and apyl' uding the eloquent
arguments OF nearly a score OF speak.
ers who talked for or against Speaker
IIOIstein's compulsory military train
ing bill, H. 3. l4&. The measure. which
already has passed the lower branch
would compel all boys reaching the
age OF IS years either to join the ma
, tiOnal guard or to take a course Of
military education consisting of IS pc
RODS, OF two hours per period.
OF the Il or 20 speakers only about
four urged the bills passage. decry
ing the talk OF it's militaristic ten.
dency These we're George w Smith,
Ed Towse. w. r. harrington and J.
A. Magoon. The principal opponents
appearing were Delegate Kal'nianaole
J. A. Rath, l.. Andrews DR.. DOremus
Scudder, Attorney w. H. Smith OF
HilO, Rev. Akaiko Akana, Frank Poor
Mrs. Emma Nakuina and a number OF
others
Delegate Kuhio was the last speaker
and he was the only one to raise again
the Japanese bugaboo." He also
raised the threat of military commits,
sion government for Hawaii. He said
the remark made by William Howard
Taft many years ago, that the United
States big mistake was in giving these
islands territorial government when
they should have had commission gov
eminent such as was given the Philip
pines, has not been forgotten at Wash
ington. He declared this very ques
ton Of commission government for Ha
wall is considered in the war depart
ment today end that If the legislature
enacts the compulsory military train
ing bill it will be stepping-stone to
the commission form. under the con
troll Of the war department and the
army officials.
kuhio's Views.
"If you pass this bill they will say
at Washington, We'll, they want milf
tary government in Hawaii, let's give
it to them Do you think thev are
going to let you have charge of your
military system here? No. Just as
sure as you attempt to establish this
new training system the United States
government will step in and take
hold"
The delegate then asserted that
what is desired is more citizens "ot
the right class" citizens. who, If war
ever comes, no matter with what ma
ton, may be depended upon to fight
for the United States and the best
interest of the islands.
Talks Of Japanese.
In Is years, said he, the japanese
will have the preponderance Of the
voting population. This proposed law
would compel them as we'll as Other
young men to take military training
''They are loyal. yes" said Kalaniana,
ole, land ! admire their loyalty; but
ii is loyalty to whom? To the Japa-
nese emperor! The time is coming
when we will be put under commits
sion government, certainly, unless we
get more citizens of the right class
He was one of the new Americans
himself and he wanted the American
form Of government, controlled by the
people. But If the people here want a
thorough military system the local leg.
islature is not the one able to give it.
The right way to go about it was to
pass resolution memorializing Con.
gress, let him take 1t to Washington
and urge II, and Hawaii would get her
desire, a military government from top
to bottom.
Practically all who opposed the Hol
stein measure objected because of its
compulsory feature
Shows Plan 10 Not "un-Ameriean."
W. r. Harrington reminded the CON-
mittee and the bill's antagonists that
the compulsory feature is by no means
new In the United States. In fact it
is so old that for four years during
his college days he was under its dom.
ination and was glad he had received
the education. He explained that ev
cry state university in the mainland
compels its male students to take the
military course and that today thou
sands of young fellows throughout the
country are forced to drill, to learn the
manual Of arms, hygiene, first-aid and
kindred details Of army life.
He warned them that should the
United States ever go to war the men
OF Hawaii, Americas outpost, would
be the first called out to shoulder
arms and go into the trenches, and
that 1t would be much easier If all
possessed at the outset a smattering
at least of the rudiments of military
education. He did not think a little