Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-30
GUARD COMPL LIANT
TO BRING BETTER
UNDERSTANDING
Full Probe to Be Made; Plans
for improvements Under
Consideration

Thorough investigation of the va
rious complaints against the conduct
Of the national guard camp at Hawai-
loa and some important changes in ma
tional guard conduct may be looked
for as a development from last weeks
incidents. ..~... ..l.- -,
The guard commandant, General
johnson, spent part of his Thanksgiy-
ing Day in consideration OF these com.
plants and in discussion of plans for
changes which, it Is expected, will be
beneficial to the service. He has
made it plain that full statements on
all points will be forthcoming. 4.
General Johnson insists that SO far
as his present information goes the
reports brought back from Kawailoa
concerning gambling we're exagger-
rated, and that the rebellion of Kauai
Fflipinos at the steamer wharf when
they left the wharf to hunt for food
was also exaggerated. He says, how
ever, that he intends to sift both these
incidents to the bottom.
He says also that he has absolutely
no confirmation of reports that there
was gambling game among the Off
GERS or that there was any liquor in
the camp. So far as his knowledge
goes and so far as he could learn up
to yesterday, he stated there was no
liquor in camp. .: "..@-
Among the points talked over by
Gen. Johnson and which may be ex.
pected TO come up ventilation of va
rious complaints and rumors are the
following: 49, :... .."z>
DeaiIed statement of the punch.
bowl fund.-" with statements as to au.
thority for all expenditures.
A full and frank discussion between
the commanding officer Of the guard
and subordinate officers, In WHICH
suggestions for the good of the service
will be asked. Ill.,.
Plans for securing larger number
of white men for the guard.
. The proposal of a reasonable "tit-
eracy test" for all applicants who de.
sire to enter the militia and operation
of this test on present force. This, it is
hoped, will strengthen the enlisted
personnel of the guard and do away
with complaints that many Of the COM
panies could scarcely understand SIM
pie orders and in some cases sentries
could not understand English.
Establishment of night school sys.
tenn for teaching suardsmen, English.
This system may ultimately be extend |
ed over all the plantations. 1t is hoped
in this way to utilize the ambition OF
a large number Of Filipinos who want
to join the guard and can become val.
liable miIitiamen, but who understand
nothing of the English Ian
suage. --.....
General Johnson strongly upholds |
the Filipino guardsmen, declaring. that |
they constitute fine material, but adj |
mits that in many cases their lack of |
knowledge of English is a drawback |!
so serious that steps must be taken to !
it. |
Concerning one item over which |
arose-that of changing |
the camp program so that during the
last week little work besides drill for |
parade and review was done-Johnson |
declares emphaically that he had moth.
ing whatever to do. He says the |
change was made necessary partly by |
the shift in the camp site from Soho.
field Barracks to Kawailoa and that |
otherwise he had no voice in the last I
weeks camp routine.
He predicts confidently that with
the new plans in contemplation within
three months the guard will be
brought to higher pitch of efficiency
than ever before.