The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-02-09

80 - hNA Nlhlt lIOHl IUt CHntl
Consequently being twenty-five days.
1--WE, like all men worthy o. that an,
pellation, abhor a traitor, would de.
nounee him and east him from our
midst. And because we are loval
American citizens we have great rights
in our democratic country. We have
the right TO think for ourselves: the
rght to express our honest opinion: the
light to criticize our administration,
o rebuke IL If 1t goes wrong, to guide
It into safer paths, to call il to account
when it, unmeaningly or not, steers the
chip of state too close to the mael.
from of destruction.
Take Charge OF Ship
1t has never been called an act Of
nutiny when the mate of a ship did
warn the captain that his course was
wrong. Never was It called an act of
nutiny when conditions finally com
1elled the mate and crew to take charge
II vessel to bring 1t into a safe
larbor. '...at '.'..E Dr..
1.-THE principal reason way President
Wilson was reelected. and WHY the ma
lority of German and Irish Americans
voted for him, was that they all firmly
believed that he, notwithstanding his
pronounced pro English sentiments
would keep our country out of this
European conflict. a. ~
b "Surely the, Presidents expressions
in the direction towards peace were
hen and are still sincere at this hour
or does there shoulder deep within his
heart the hope that FIRE may be kin
lied in the. United States to consume
hat great edihee called Germany, 50
that it shall no longer obscure that
other building, England That no one
knows but the Almighty God himself.
"''A And we need not care so very
much whether the President desires
war or peace, because the declaration
# war is an act of congress. -.
Would Seize Power IA.
But should congress have the pow
" to declare war? no, certainly notl
md especially so in the United States. =
eve are telling the world that We
IRE the most civilized and progressive
of all nations. That civilization main.
tains a growing conviction that war Is
unjustifable
awe point with pride at our demo.
cratic form of government and say i
has been found that war is in the high
est degree inexpedieut and destructive
20 the best interests of the humaT
ace and that this democratic form
Of government must be the means OF
abOlishing war forever.
"Christian America tells us that al
though there are in the human heart
principles Of strife and human hatred
Existing, the Christian religion is grad
rally wedding out these seeds and plant
ing seeds of peace instead and these
will not cease to grow until they have
covered the whole world.
"With those great ideals before u,
md deeply engraved upon our minds
Why should we, the citizens of the
United States, be forced, against Oul
convictions, against our principles Of
humanity towards all mankind, against
'ur better judgement, against our reli
Fious teachings, 70 take up arms against
'ur fellow men and Christian brothers
Demands Referendum ..'
"The voice Of the few individuals
in congress is not the voice of thu
people. And when we consider tha
many of our congressman find pleasure
and satisfaction in bringing about I
state Of war between our United Statel
md Germany, II is now expedient tina
the question of war and peace SHOULD
oe left to referendum of the people
"'What would then be the certain
'esultI The horrors of war would b.
or all time banished from our soil
8 Vast majority of the people o.
he United States would outVote thu
Few ungodly Nultures who feed anC
get fat on the blood of war. -
Cannot We harm from the Austral
ans, who, in the very midst of wa
!aliantly insisted on referendum re
garding conscnptiOn; who even de
manded that the men in the trenches
should be given the right to vote OF
this important question. The ballo
was taken aud her heroes in the trench
es, begrlmed and sickened by so mucl
sight of gore and misery voted six Il
one against it,
surely, What country of five mil
lion souls carried through, land sub
ject to mOnurchial rule, We, the great
est democratic country in the world
we, country Of over one hundred mil
lion people should he able to do as well
by a supreme effort, we will, WI
an Fnd We must demand O referendum
which is the emily rational and fail
method to decide that great question
20 viii to US all--the question Of wa
and peace.