Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-02
MARCH, - lJl1.
ACLEANcUT rRouIBITIUN Issue.

Tor submitting the issue to vote Of the people of this
territory next July.
The substitute ChilIingworrh hill carries out tn"
theory Of home rule 1t provides bona fdc prohI,
bition. Ii is a sound bill sound in morals, in law.
ia equitable treatment for the Iiquo" business and
in practical method of testing he dry sentiment
in Hawaii
The Star. Bulletin voices the opinion Of probably
the maj rity of voters in SAYING they prefer prohibi-
ton brought about By the people Of Hawaii Ia pro,
hibiton brought about by Washington. But up 10
fie time when Senator ChiIngwOrth took his stand
with the dry forces and started the Iegslation it
did not seem that the way would he opened for Il
vote of the people here at home. The Republican
Territorial platform had unwisely carried plank
hedging the party TO ''standpatsm" Oh 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 Republicans
to ignoring this plank.
Senator ChillingwOrths proposals brought the
senate to the point of placing the liquor issue before
the people And the Star Bulletin has no hesitation
in saving that in showing itself alive TO this vital
public subject, the senate has done service much
higher than the negative service of standing pat on
a standpat platform plank which does not fit condi,
tions today. Ia i
AS the developments have come. the question will
be put fairly and squarey before the voters by act
Of the legislature, and that promises to help rather
than to hinder action in Wash ngton.
The reason for this is simple. There is apparently
not the remotes chance that C ngress at this session
will pass the now-pending bill calling for plebiscite
on referendum BY the petition method. The Hawaiian
measure is buried, with hundreds of Others in a
mass of undigested uncompleted Observation-Disclosures
ed aside when the national crisis called for attention
aboye everything else,
Nothing wilibe done with liquor Legislation Should
M extra session of the Goth Congress be called That
extra session will he devoted entirely to military
naval and similar preparedness matters, though
possibly the senate may handle the large number of
nconfrmed presidential nominations. But at any
rate. there now seems no hope whatever for action
bF 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 we'll
long in 1913 before Congress would pass such legis
afion, ndprobably then ii would take the form of
referendum to local vote After the referendum
provided IL carried-at least nine honths or a year
would be given before the law went into operation
Hence il Hawaii waits now for Congress to act. it
max be 1919 before the territory really goes dry
Under the bill now in the senate here, should a
vote next July give majority for prohibition the
territory will 60 dry in July, 1918.
ton fight IN Hawaii. 1t has also headed the fight
before Congress- maintaining its representative al
the national capital. The1eague foresaw no chance
81 getting favorable action in the territorial legsla
fure and hence took up the battle in Congress But
the leaguesnow puts itself squarely into line on the
home rule basis by unequivocally Endorsing the
present senate bill and declaring that should this
bill come before the people in special election the
|eague viii heartily support it. II might be added
that President Peters letter ndorsing the senate
bin 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
clares the league will abide by the decision of the
senate and will support the dry" bill in the result
mo referendum vote. .@=-. #i...>
With this stand by the leading temperance organi
zation of the islands there will not be division
forces on the side of prohibition
The Star Bulletins attitude on the liquor question
IS well-known This paper believes that Hawai-
should join the ''allwhite column of states and ter
fitories steadily growing as the voters get chance
to express themselves. And we believe absoutel,
that with organized forces the prohibition advocate
can win the July election. ~.
What has impressed itself upon thousands of mel
and women in Hawaii in the past five years is TIL
economic argument against booze The man wht
drinks is giving way to the man who doesn't drink
Many big corporations hesitate TO employ men wht
use iquor-many others do not hesitate-thcy dom
employ such men. Modern business has condemne,
booze as an injury to progress. = .....--. .
I'M Hawaii there are countless men--nOt teeto
talers- say frankly, 81 drink occasionally, bu
would vote in a minute for prohibition in Hawaii
There are countless employers who say. Il wisI
we had prohibition. My men and my business woul'
10 better nff wifhout ljauor" ~.