Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-05

A new disease this, made in Ger
many, product of the deadly germ
microbus martialist Its inroads into
the United States have been unpar-
alleled by any other phenomenon in
our history. II would be amusing this
sudden stampede off press and people,
II IL we're not so serious. It threat
ems to assume the proportions OF a
real crisis in our national life and may
prove TO be the issue upon which po-
litical parties will divide. Because of
the oyershadowing importance to the
entire world of what is involved in the
European war. preparedness as some
Of Its advocates; interpret 1t may forge
TO the front as {the greatest and gray.
est question our nation has ever been.
called upon to decide. II is because Of
these widely ramifying relations that
the so-called pacifists regard the new
Propaganda with such deep anxiety
and oppose 1t as hostile to the high.
est interests Of humanity.
story Of lie Propaoaticn. -
Everyone old enough to remember
the marvellous thrill which shot
through the country when Dewey won
the battle OF Manila Bay, and the con-
yiction "Our nation is world power"
was born, tan never forget the expert
ence. II seemed as If new life had
oawned in the nations soul. II was
the equivalent In the social realm of
falling in love or of religious CONVEX
sion In the inyidividual America has
newer been the same since. 1t was
natural that cleavage should have
begun then which has steadily and
imperceptibly widened between those
who viewed the new role that America
was TO play as that of world servant,
and those who anticipated an imperial
career for the Republic of the West.
Probably few Of the latter definitely
defined their ambition to themselves
but they began forthwith to discredit
the consistent policy of our country
which cut down army and navy strictly
70 the requirements Of peace. For
decade and half the advocates of
ed necessarily. They have numbered
many undoubted patriots. some of
whom were constitutionally pessimist-
ic as TO the existence of such q virtue
as international honor or were gifted
with an imagination magnifying the
danger of unpreparedness for war.
This nucleus was reinforced on the
one hand by men who loved fight for
It's own sake and certain Of the pro-
fesSional military class, and on the
other by the important private inter.
eets sure TO reap financial profits from
the manufacture Of the sinews of war
The stock in trade of these pleaders
for enlarged ornaments was the wal
scare which was periodically trotted
out whenever there seemed the slight
est chance OF working upon the fears
OF the public Finally California with
the sudden incoming of large mum.
Der OF japanese offered an opportunity
unique in our history. Wherever for
eign workmen of a nationality unfa.
miliar to the laboring element on the
ground has flocked into America, fric.
ton has arisen. leading to petty acts
Of lawlessness and not unseldom to
serious disturbances of the peace But
the safety valve-the privilege Of nat.
uralization freely accorded to aliens
which previously had always so work.
ed as to afford the extra steam
chance to escape before irreparable-
manage was done, was plugged by Ger
tain OF our courts which refused to
naturalize Japanese. In the interna.I
fional situation which ensued upon the
California troubles, the militarists
scented their opportunity and made
the most of it. They promptly con.
verted to their way of thinking the
most prominent living American, then
president. led him to shake the ma.
tons fist in the mikado's face by his
famous battleship cruise, and pushed
their propaganda for a mightier navy
with some success. u. - ~
The Golden Hour. ...
But II was found impossible to fool
the people all the time. First the jap
snese government exhibited a patience
and a kindly wisdom that few social
ed Christian powers have ever mani.
tested. 1t bore with our unmannerly
conduct. volunteered to keep its peo-
ME at home so as to relieve our in.
ternal difficulties, and set about doing
what no other foreign nation had ever
done, instituted propaganda of edu.
cation among its nationals in our ter
ritory to lead them to accommodate
themselves TO our way Of thinking anu