Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-07-31
Patriotism In The City Hall

While the boys of this city are engaged in offer
ing themselves for whatever service their countr!
requires few men enjoying all the comforts OF
citizenship using their time and concentrating
their energy unseenll Y squabbe over the dis
tributiOn of some municipal jobs.
II may judge thees men-whO just now are
II we may judge these men-whO just now are
horizon Of their patriotism is bounded by the jobs
they can grab.
They are willing to howl their heads off for the
drafting of the best blood of the country for the
work in France. But when it comes TO demOnStrat
ing their unselfshness in their relation to that
part of their country in which they live they want
the jobs. They see nothing, they talk nothing and
apparently they can hear nothing but the jobs.
Does someone arise to murmur that he isn't SO
bad as all that?
Ask him to give evidence that he has publicly
approached the subject Of the selection Of municipal
department heads from any other standpoint than
a grab for the jobs.
At what stage of the proceedings has there been
presentation Of the situation the basis of hir-
ing the men best capable of doing the business of
the city efficiently and firing not hiring those
proved to be incompetent and whose present en-
ployment and past training give no recommendation
hat they can properly do the work of the positions
to which they aspire?
This city is Hawaii's vital unit in the great world
crisis
Are we to believe, as these Job grabbers might
cause rs to think, that every individual citizen must
conserve his energy and his capital to the last de
gree, but 1t is a matter of small import whether
the city management is competent or not?
Do they not realize that now, as never before,
every dollar of public money must be made to re.
turn its full value to this municipality; that
as never before ability, efficiency capacity, must
be the acid test applied to every official?
Has 1t occurred to them that patriotic duty is
not measured by partisan duty? Not in this day
and hour.
Brand a nations curse the petty politics and
bury them. The foolishness of Ben Hollnger in
referring to "the gentlemen of the minority" is just
as much out Of place as the narrow, selfish cabal
for which Senator Paeheco is the windy echo.
What the city demands and what the country
demands is men, actual full-sized men who think
first of the welfare Of their city and of their country
and act consistently as becomes men of vision and
intelligent performance. To fail in meeting this
demand is slackerism in its most pernicious form.
Such failure will receive public condemnation it
20 richly deserves The result cannot be otherwise
in an American community where practical pa
triotism prevails.
ASSUMING IudI III TIC cACllcucuI VI HUI,
the job grabbers have forgotten their responsible
tiles in the management Of this city during a war
period, it is fair that they should receive public
reminder Of their duty before they should be sub
iected to the wholesale condemnation justified by
their words and acts as thus far known to the
public.
The reminder has been given. If the job grab
bers have not seen it, or have not heard it, the
reason must be found in their narrow vision and
impaired hearing induced by intensive concentra-
lion on selfish interests.
The reminder has been given and whose shall be
the first cowardly voice to say that it does not
apply in Honolulu?
The reminder is SO appropriate that it might we'll
have been uttered especially for the benefit of the
managing officials of the city and county of Homo
ulu since it applies so apty to petty politicians
Who would prostitute their city to greedy gain.
It is found in the closing sentences of President
Wilson's latest message to the people of the United
states: 81 shall expect every man who is not a
Stacker to be at my side throughout this great en-
erprise. IN 1T NO NAN CAN WIN HONOR
WHO THINKS OF HIMSELF"
King Alfonso and Premier Dato, according to
ate accounts, are unfolding democratic principles
o0oinsf Traditions civil nd