Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-10-04
4 POLICE PROBLEM, NOT A NATIONAL
GUARD NEED.

Nothing but a real emergency of great proper
tons Warrants calling out the National Guard I
quell disorder in any community. i
That emergency has not arisen on the waterfront
and there is necessity, as matters stand at thi
writing for the governor order out the territorial
troops. <. ..~" ILL.,. -.
This is said in full realization of the fact that in
adequate police protection and the rising despefa
ton of the waterfront strikers may at any momen
result in an outbreak far than has yet devel
opcd Ii is said in realization of the fact that yes
terday morning and this morning property was in
secure and life was menaced because first Lack o
numbers and then of effective organization made thu
police painfully powerless to protect laborers OF
their way to the wharyes.
The problem on the waterfront is essentially
police problem. Ii is yet far from hopeless police
problem The sudden turn of the strikers to organ
I've violence in stopping railroad cars loaded will
laborers caught the police unprepared yesterday
Today the ruse of the strikers in concealing them
selves in the railroad yards again caught the pc
lice unprepared. This lack of preparation the pc
lice officers in charge fully admit. But they arr
getting down to their work and the Star Bulletin
does not believe that the time has for the grave
resort to the militia.
But the time has certainly come for the com
munity to demand OF Sheriff Rose that the police
force in his charge shall be better handled Every
Incident on the waterfront since the strike began
has demonstrated that efficiency in the department
is at disgracefuy low ebb, and this is not said IL
criticism of individual officers or patromen but Of
the entire organization. When lawless mobs of mel
and boys spring up, the police at loss to han
~. lri.<. A.
Jobs which police should have. Lacking training
they show hesitation (which mobsters at once tut
down as timidity They have no clear conception
Of their duties and in many cases do not know how
far police officer can 60 in physically handling tbs
Individual courage and the Willingness to work
long hours and acesdanger which several members
of the police force have shown repeatedly during the
last few days is of little avail unless coupled with
tiicent organization 1t is in this problem of pre-
pairing his men for emergency calls upon them, in
preparing for really serious police situation, that
The sheriff has failed before and is failing The
StarBulletin does not lay it to politics. for mob in
fidents have happened here involving no politics
when the lack of organization of the police force
was painfully demonstrated.
Nevertheless, the problem is not yet beyond the
police It will be the sheriffs fault if it gets be
f0nd them. Fearless arrest not only of one or two
81 the lawless gangsters but of few dozen of them
and prosecution that will put the enemies of peace
and order in JAIL will show the mobs that Honolulu
police mean business If necessary, the sheriff car
keep large part of his men on the waterfront and
if these are not senough he can get some extra mer
for special duty Determined patrolling of the
Waterfront will check the gangsters, for most Of
them will not face policeman who can handle him
self and has orders to get his man. The gangStel
Is usually coward when facing constituted author
iiy. Aud if there are any of the sherif's men who
afe afraid to look mob in the eye, he might as vel
get them of the waterfront.
Calling out the National Guard involves SO many
serious problems it is such lastresort act that il
should not be done unless is evident that the police
are utterly powerless Up to now neither the size
Of the mob nor its temper has been beyond what the
police can control if public sentiment demands al
end to diydallying and certainly public sentiment
now demands it.