Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-09-14
Editor Star-BuIletin

I
! Honolulu. T. H.
, At this writing, as an American cltl-
zen. feel it my indispensable duty
| both to my country and TO my fellow
man. TO attempt a further discussion
) Of military unpreparedness. and |
| sincerely hope you will, as heretofore.
lind space in your valuable paper for
publication Of such few lines that fol-
! low: ! would be presumptuOus, in
deed. to present myself against the
distinguished and silvertOngued paci-
! TESTS to whom it has pleased the Anne
rican people to listen, If this were a
mere measuring of abilities; but this
is not a contest between individuals.
The humblest citizen in all the land.
| when clad in the armor of righteous
cause, is stronger than all the hosts
OF error Therefore, | come to you in
| the defense Of a cause as holy as the
cause of humanity-the cause of lib
erty.
| For years we have been warned that
we were unprepared for national de-
| tense, but we would not listen. Now
that war threatens, will we listen to
the voice Of wisdom, crying unto us
daily, saying, prepare We for the great
conflict which awaits you only short
way in the future?
When He Wakes Up.
| A good time to sell farmer a fire
insurance policy is when the barn Of
his neighbor burns down, and only a
| gale of wind saved his own. At such
a Christening moment he is apt TO dis
| play rare intelligence. But We, the
people who are supposed to govern
our country, have been criminaIly un
intelligent We have turned a. deaf
ear to those who spoke with authority,
| and we have turned to false prophets
and Missionaries. Our wisdom has been
/ that of a chief of fire department in
| a great city, who keeps his fire en-
| gines on one side of the city, his
hook and ladder wagon on the other
side and his hose still on another side.
| and turns his horses loose in the pas
ture at night. AS a result, we now find
1 ourselves with only corporafs guard
| with which we are to protect our one
| hundred million people.
Belgium is country less than one
| fourth the size of the state OF Illinois;
| her population is less than that OF the
city of Chicago. When war broke out
in Europe, Belgium was able to put
into the field an army better equipped,
better instructed, better disciplined
| and twice as large as the whole army
| of the United States of America; and,
| in spite of her nerve Of steel and iron.
you may have heard what happened
| to Belgium.
The FaiIacy.
We have repeatedly been told by the
| peace advocates that we need not
fear war with any foreign power, be-
cause oceans lay between us and 9TH
er countries; but, Mr. Reader, we no
| tice that oceans did not protect Ger
many against troops from Canada, In
dia and Australia. And when we
consult our geography we will find
that between Quebec and Liverpool is
not the only wide open place to be
found in the oceans. Then, why stand
| We here idle?
A few weeks ago Mr.. Bryan, while
addressing a delegation, said that at
the call of war, overnight million
| men will leap to arms Mr.. Bryan
| failed to explain where these men
| would get their arms, after having
made so patriotic leap. If he knows
he certainly should not hesitate to say
so. Mr.. Editor, who is to blame for
our shameful preparation for nation
al defense? The constitution of the
United States provides that all legis-
| IL 70 UnCtn6 a
congress, which shall consist of sen
ate and a house of representatives.
So, we naturally arrive at the conclu-
| sion that our legislators are to blame
| for our unpreparedness, but when we
examine the constitution further we
find that these legislators are chosen
| by the people, they are the choice OF
| the mass of the people, and are sup
posed to do the biddings of the peo-
pie, and are subject to impeachment
as a result of neglect of duty, in 9TH
er words, We might say they are the
mouthpiece of the people, the people
speak through them. Then, this being
the case, the blame does not rest d.
rectly on our legislators, but upon the
American people; you and |.
Congress Is Delinquent.
The men constituting our army and
navy are ready to perform their duty,
and give their lives for the protection
of a people who in their duty to them
and to their selves have disgracefulIy
failed. Those who are directly to
blame for our unreadinesS are our
selves, those indirectly to blame are
cur senators and congressman we
| have allowed to represent US. These
senators and congressman are not con-
cerned with national affairs They
are striving to please the people VINO
elected them, that at the next election
they may have no fear. And in in
! crcasing the number CT battleshlps
and in the training of men for mill
tary purposes. We their constituents,
are got interested. But to the adVan-
tage e Jobs for ourselves. federal
huildincs. roads, rivers and harhor en-
renditureS that may bring money tC
the home town, We are widely awake,