Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-02
)KING At THE FACTS OF DEFENSE.


lature yesterday must answered not merely by the
lawmakers but by the people of the territory.
Is Hawaii to have real or a haf-real National
Guard and Naval Militia? HI ..=,..
Is Hawaii willing to spend the money necessary
to make these organizations real?
Is Hawaii willing this money should be spent from
the revenues coming out of leasing public lands?
These, in substance, the questions the governor
puts up to the legislators at the close of series OF
thought provoking statements and statistical tables
We think that the general demand for large Ma
tional Guard as voiced in the past three years
proves that the people well aware of the neces
sty of citizen army for defense purposes. But
they awake to the fact that money must be spent
with no nggardIy hand to secure and support the
home organizations?
Turning to the method of getting the money-that
of land ncome-it is interesting to remember that
six years ago Kauai senator, George Fairchid
proposed the leasing of lands for the purpose of
viding revenues for public schools The proposal
was defeated. the main argument against it being
that Hawaii should not halt in its homesteading po
Icy Hawaii should continue to open lands to small
farmers not to allow them to be held by large lease
holders,
This was six years ago when housekeeping was in
ures have been chronicled since then and few sue
cesses.
Governor Pinkham has reduced to figures the
Homestead mortality" il might be called = the
alarming extent to which homesteads pass into alien
hands, the large number of failures
The arguments which held good wears ago do not
hold good today. The demonstrating theories are not
working out
Ia 1l,:.
tional defense, in which Hawaii has and must have
"a conspicuous part.
1t is not necessary to add anything to the gov.
ernors statement on this point. His message is
clear in emphasizing that Hawaii has got to do its
share, and that this share will cost money.
The governor has definite proposals which he calls
upon the legislature to consider. In principle we
agree with his message. AT some points it is OBJ
scuIe and it bears the inferental passages which
detract from the clarity of most of Governor Pink
hams state papers but its main thread of purpose
is unmistakable The StarBulletin hears also that
the governors plan has been approved in Washing
ton, which is strong argument for Endorsement by
the legislature
There will, of course, rise an instant howl that
the governor is hostile to the small farmer that he is
trying to slip homestead control to the plantations
that he is dissipating public revenues. The men
who chemically raise these howIs have not yet come
forward with an. scheme of their own to finance the
National Guard and the Naval Militia Hawaii ought
to have When they do bring forward such a scheme,
it will be time TO listen to them.
The legislature should, however scrutinize care
fully the proposed expenditures. 1t is not only
proper but prudent for legislative committees to
know exactly how national guard funds are being
spent and TO be spent. Only through competent,
careful and authoritative auditing of the expenses
of the territory for military purposes the legsla
ture Justify dnertng very large fund for the next
two years. Having conducted such an audit and
proved that past expenditures have been we'll
handled the legislators properly authorize the
handling of the funds in the future,