Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-09
congressman.

e.
Even with no contest such referendum is mani
testify so unwieldy as to be impracicable 1t could
not be taken in the time specified without deprving
hundreds of thousands of the right of vote for in
many isolated sections of the country it would be
impossible for the ballots to be received distributed
used collected and forwarded to the census bureau
in the time specified. The plan of counting seven.
teen million ballots would swamp the census bureau,
even If the postal facilities were able to handle the
earlier distribution and collection.
A full. fair referendum through postal offices
would require at least two months Moreover, there
would be political and partisan fights; there would
be contests the petitions and over the ballots.
Congress would be involved in a maze of red tape
through weeks when the nation with whom diplo-
matte relations were severed was gaining the I'M
mense advantage Of striking fast and hard
The referendum plan would be more practicable
were the opposing nation operating on the same
method 1t would then resolve itself into a race to
see which nation could first count the ballots and 60
ahead with military operations.
Until such Il time as there is a League of Nations
and the nations are bound TO observe and respect
the same procedure before going to war; the proposal
of war referendum in the United States is an idle
dream. Like many other roseate dreams of Utopian
government il fades before tue grim realities of the
world today
In the present crisis the United States cannot in
national safety undertake a referendum. 1t would
be Just as wise for Sheriff Rose to call for vote in
Honolulu before breaking up dangerous street riot
1t would be just as wise fer Fire Chief ThursOn to
ask for referendum before turning out the fire de
rartment to nip an incipient confgration
While clerks and judges were distributing, count
ing and inspecting ballots, the riot would be destroy
ing life and property. the fire would be sweeping
fln' city
While the nation was taking ballot on the ques
ton of war. another nation would be sinking our
ships, numbering our citizens fomenting plots and
strife in our own country.
The United States faces stern facts. We have
elected president and a Congress, and reelected
president because nearer than any other man nom
mated for the Office he represented the sentiment of
Americans. He was reelected with every American
realizing that before his term of Office over we
might be at war with Germany. BY their ballots
the American people have placed in his hands and
the hands of Congress the power to guide our ma
tional acts Whatver be the issue, it is by the will
of the people that our president and our Congress
now act.
No democracy can endure that is not Injured to
discipline and resolved in unity. No democracy can
endure without leaders, and without standing by it's
leaders, And no impractcahle scheme of referen-
dun at this particular stage OF the worldcatastrophe
could make war by the United States one whit more
democratic than the only war upon which We may
embark-a war for American and neutral rights
the war Of democracy against military autocracy.
!.