Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-04-27

Representatives for possible revival
of the vice abatement bill, which was
indefinitely postponed yesterday
| afternoon.
Speaker H. l.. Holstein explains that
a motion to reconsider yesterdays
vote to postpone would be In order
but that such mcticn would have
| to be made by a member Of the ma
jority. But il now is evident that no
majority member stands ready to Of
fer such a motion.
The opinion appears to prevail gen
| orally in the house that yesterday s
vote on the abstemenl bill will have
no material effect on the vote tomor-
row on the governors veto of the city
charter bill. il it is taken tomorrow.
Those who already have voted to sus-
tain the veto are not likely, it is
thought, to swerye frcm that stand,
and it is possible that they may be
reinforced by one OF two others who
voted to reconsider. - z .
Il am sure yesterdays vote on the
abatement bill will have no material
effect on the final vote on the charter
Veto" says Representative Andrews,
who led the opposition to the abate-
ment bill. Personally, would like
to see the charter passed, but it is
now doubtful whether the house will
vote to override the veto.'
Andrews today made, in substance,
the following statement regarding his
stand yesterday on the abatement
bill: "
AT the close OF my argument I
made the statement that if had made
any mistake as to the meaning Of
sections of the bill, or as to the law,
or the fact that the laws now on the
statute books covered every remedy
for vice and other nnisances, with
the exception of the seizure of mans
property and selling his furniture II
found guilty ofta nuisance, l stood to
be corrected.
Not person spoke and no one con.
tradicted me, and theresw members
Of the Chamber Of Commerce in the
audience. / hold that the bill is dan.
gerous in its present form, and the
manner in which Iwilei was closed
shows the present laws are adequate
Hoistein Presents Strong Plea
Adhering to his declaration earlier
in the day that he would support the
vice abatement bill on the ground that
he is q firm believer in all reform
measures, Speaker Holstein took the
floor after the house 4 resolved itself
into committee Of the ixhole and pre-
scented a. clear, forcefnf argument in
favor of the measure. His, verbal
fight in support Of the bill followed his
own motion that the committee recon-
mend to the house that the measure
pass.
5 The speaker said that, in a former
legislature, he had opposed SINH
lar bill for the reason that 1t was
filled with flaws and offered abso-
mtely no protection. r
II could not conscIentiously approve
the BILL" he went nn,-s.but the bill
now before us meets with my appro-
val andsit seems to me that every
member Of this house should now
place himself on record either for or
against this measure. =
"This is a reform measure and one
advocated by some Of our strongest
and most representative men and
women. am sure We wilI8make no
mistake in passing it." ~
He then called attention to the
large number Of states that have
adopted similar vice abatement meas.
ures and, referring to notes, pointed
out the successful manner in which
these laws hare been worked out.
Going back again to the local situa.
ton, he urged Hawaii to get in line,
with mainland states In similar re-
form movements declaring such a.
move could result only in good.
Advises Giving Try-out
why should we be in the rear in
reform measures?" he argued. Let
us take this bill now and put it on
the statute books and try it out for
the next two. years. Then, if 1t is
found it does not work satisfactorily
the next legislature can easily do
away with it. But / hold we should
give it thorough try-out.
The speaker declared further that
the present bill seeks to protect prop
erty owners from spite work"
There is not a member of this
house." he asserted, who will dare
defend open prostitution and declare
that 1t is necessary
Fact after fact in defense Of the
bill was driven home by the speaker