Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-02


hibition brought about by Washington But up to
with the dry forces and started the legislation it
did not seem that the way would he opened for
vote of the people here at home. The Republican
territorial platform had unwisely carried plank
pledging the party o'r'standpatism on the liquor
laws, and even the rapid change in sentiment, even
the growing force of the prohibition issue could not
apparently overcome the objections of RepublirTrriq
to ignoring this plank.
Senator Chingworth's proposals broughtExerpt
senate TO the point of placing the liquor issue Wong
the people. And the Star Bulletin has no hesta Exc
ia saying that in showing itself alive to this Enos
public subject, the senate has done service nu PHI
higher than the negative service of standing papa
standpat platform plank which does not fit q eu
tons today.
As the Developments have come, the question will
be put fairly and squarely bofcfe the voters by act
Of the legislature and tLv promises TO help rather
than to hinder action in Wash .ngton.
The reason for this is simple There is apparently
not the remoest chance that &c ngress at this session
will pass the now-pending bill calling for plebscie
On referendum by the petition method The Hawaiian
measure is buried, with hundreds of others, in a
mass Of undigested, uncompeted legislation sIov-
ed aside when the national crisis called for attention
aboye everything else.
N6thing will be done with liquor legislation should
IN extra session of the Goth Congress be called That
extra session will be devoted entirely to military
naval and similar preparedness matters, though
possibly the senate may handle the large number OF
uncopfrmed presidential nominations But at any
rate there now seems no hope whatever for action
By this Congress on prohibition in the territory
Any action BY the next Congress would probably
not take place for at least year 1t might be well
aIong in 1918 before Congress would pass such egis
Iation and probably then it would take the form of
areferendum to local vote. After the referendum
provided ii carried-at least nine months or year
would be given before the law went into operation.
Hence il Hawaii waits for Congress to act, it
may be 1919 before the territory really goes dry
Under the bill in the senate here, should a
fote next July give majority for prohibition, the
territory will go dry in July, 1918
The Anti-Saloon League has headed the prohibit
ton fight in Hawaii 1t has also headed the fight
before Congress- maintaining its representative at
The national capital. The league foresaw no chance
of getting favorable action in the territorial legisa
tnre and hence took up the battle in Congress- But
the league puts itself squarely into line on the
home rule basis by unequivodally indorsing the
present senate bill and declaring that should this
bill come before the people in special election the
|tague will heartily support it, 1t might be added
hat President Peters letter indorsing the senate
d Was written before the senate had adopted the
July plebscte amendment, but that in conversation
With the editor Of the Star Bulletin, Mr. Peters de
c'ares the league will abide by the decision Of the
senate and will support the dry bill in the result
ing referendumvote.
With this stand by the leading temperance organi.
zation of the islands, there will not be division of
Forces on the side of prohibition
The Star bulletins attitude on the liquor question
is wellknown. This paper believes that Hawaii
shouid join the "allwhter column of states and ter
ritores steadily growing as the voters get chance
10 express themselves And we believe absolutely
that with organized forces the prohibition advocates
can win the July election.
What has impressed itself upon thousands of men
and women in Hawaii in the past FIVE years is the
economic argument against booze. The man who
drinks is giving way to the man who doesn't drink
Many big corporations hesitate to employ men who
use liquor-many Others do not hesitate-they don't
EMPLOY such men. Modern business has condemned
booze as an injury to progress.
In Hawaii there are countless men--not teeto.
falers--who say frankly, II drink occasionally but
would vote in a minute for prohibition in Hawaii"
There are countless employers who say Il wish
We had prohibition. Ny men and my business would
fe better off without liquor"
The opportunity TO put this sentiment into action
viii soon be given.
onfside of the business argument there is the ar
h,,nent Of law and order The press of the terri