Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-17
ARE
We'll ATTENDED
BY AUSTRALIANS
Hugh Ward, theatrical Mag.
nate of Australia, Says
People Are Optimistic

Hugh j. Ward, managing director
Of J. C. Williamson. Ltd, who con-
trolls all of the theaters in Australia.
New Zealand and South Africa, is a
passenger on the Ventura today, on
the way to London, where his COM
pany is putting on High links" an
American comedy. This is the first
time IL history that an Australian
company has put on an American play
In London. Travelling with Ward is
his wife and two sons, Hugh F. aud
Melbourne ~.sH.: III.
/ Ward said that the war has natGr.
ally affected the patronage of the
theaters in the colonies, bat only in
sefar as 1t has taken away to the
front approximately 100000 men, for
the people who remain at home re-
fuse to be pessimistic and demand
amusement and 90 to the theaters
regularly - '.-ss
"These 100000 men that have
kone,p declared Ward, ARE the finest
in the world and # is all due to the
policy inaugurated 10 years ago by
Lord Kitchener At that time a law
was passed in Australia, backed by
Kitchener. making 1t compulsory for
all boys over IA years Of age to have
military training. OF course, we have
the Boy Scouts, but that is only for
the young boys, and when they reach
IA years they start regular training
They like it, too, for sit makes real
men Of them. and it was because Of
this policy that Australia was ready
when the war started.
Il have heard a great deal about
preparedness in the United States"
continued Ward, but if America
wants real preparedness it must
train the boys, for 1t is upon them
that the United States must depend
il it is drawn into war insthe years
to- come In Australia have seea
$4,000 boys between the ages Of IA
end IS swing along like old soldiers.
My two boys are IN it and enjoy every
moment of their training. The train.
ing camps in the United States are
all right, but it takes years to make |
soldier and the discipline they get
when young Is the best thing in the
world for them"
Many reports: have been received |
here concerning the feeling In Aus
tralia against the United States and |
when asked about it this morning
Ward gave what seems to be the real |
reason for It.
The people of Australia are work |
ed up to high pitch over the war; |
he said ;.eThey are intensely demo-
cratic and cannot understand how an
other country with the same beliefs
in freedom can stand by and not en-
ter into the conflict to crush people /
whose standards of civilization are
the exact opposite. When Che war Is
over, however, and the minds of the
people again become readjusted, be.
lieve that this, feeling will disappear,
but the United States has helped the
Allies to a great extent both in
money and supplies"
Ward was in Honolulu IL years ago
and was greatly surprised over the
changes which have taken place
When was here before there seemed /
10 be so much romance he said, 4but
now it is a modern city It is not the
Honolulu that / know and am sorry,
but" and he sighed, Il suppose it Is
all for the best
: Several weeks ago Ward met
Peggy" Center, the Honolulu girl
who is travelling with Melba Il found
her very charming young lady, and
while l did not hear her sing, under
stand that she is making excellent
progress under Madame Melba"
49,, rSY,re a,exa,e 4 kAnrA