Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-17
Army engineer
CHIEF OPPOSES
MILITARY ROAD
Charles r. Forbes Thinks Com
ment Was Made Before Gen.
: erals Talked to Committee

THAT war department authorities do
not favor the bill which provides for
the establishment of a military road
around the island of Oahu, and that
the chief of engineers objects TO the
hill, is the statement made in the
Army and Navy Register of February
The Register says: . ="
The war department authorities do
not LOOK with complacency or approval
upon the bill III. r. 3705l which makes
appropriation for a military highway
around the island of Oahu. The chief
of engineers of the army has made a
report on the subject. One feature Of
the bill assigns the work to the de.
partment Of public works OF the terri
tory OF Hawaii, to which objection is
made, the war department believing
that II the construction is primarily
for military purposes the preliminary
surveys should be made by the mill
tary authorities and the actual work
should be done by the proper agencies
of the army. The chief of engineers
adds: III. ....... III.
Comment 81 Chief.
IL know Oh no recommendation
from military authorities now on the
island for the construction of the road
mentioned, and, taking the absence OF
such recommendation in connection
with the wording of the bill. il would
appear to me that the bill is an at
tempt TO transfer from the territory
OF Hawaii to the federal government
not only the cost of constructing new
roads, desired in reality primarily for
territorial purposes, but also the cost
of maintenance OF some of the exist
ing roads constructed by the TERRITORY
for its own purposes and without any
consideration for the military needs :"
Undoubtedly this military road
question has been commented on by
the engineering department before
either General Carter or other mill
tary heads had chance to appear for
II" says Superintendent Charles r.
Forbes of the public works depart.
ment
Macomb and Carter Favor II.
General Carter and General Ma
comb were both known to be in ia
yor OF it, and Delegate ]. K. Kalani-
anaole was to request them to appear
at hearing to voice their feelings in
the natter
AS to the comments made by the
chief of engineers, Forbes says that
the territory offered to do survey
work and to give over such territorial
property as the road went through in
the hope of being OF assistance in its
establishment
ANY road on the isisnGs would be
a military road, he says, in case the
military department chose to use it,
The bill provided that the work was
to be done under the direction OF the
secretary of wa. and the construction |
to be of such material as might be
found best fits I fer il on the island. |
1T was to b FOR the use of the gem
eral public fr of tolls, and under |
territorial Ger ii except when in use
for military y :gcses.
Forbes says lie believes that if
George NJ. Mcclellan was instructed
from here to get to work on the bill at
once a satisfactory explanation could
be made to the chief OF engineers,
who seems opposed to the measure.
Difference of Opinion.
Between army officers on Oahu
there is a wide difference of opinion
as to the strategic value for the de-
Tense of the island of military road |
following the coast line, and while the
question is being discussed and con-
sidered, the attitude which this de-
partment will take remains unsettled. |
Under present circumstances Gen |
eral John p. Wiser, commanding the |
Hawaiian Department, does not care |
to make any statement Gearing on the |
possibility of building military road |
or of the report Viii Ii this depart |
ment has made or may make to Wash |
ington.
With the war depa !tment not fully |
in accord with the roposal to build /
the road and with iumber of other
appropriations asked by the
Hawaiian department, for roads and
sewers at Schofield Barracks and new
buildings at that ard other posts, the
road bill, many army officers
think. has little chance OF passing at
this session of Congress.
Consul Henry NJ. N,blcott, at Ha-