The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-01-18
.Misled Leaders

IN the prohibition game, but every time he
comes to bat in actual performance he fans.
His attitude towards the chamber Of commerce
resolution is to be regretted particularly for Ku-
HOS own sake, because his protestations OF good
faith in desire to help his own people by ehmi-
mating booze have been taken at face value, time
after time MP to this time Even the fact that he
has invariably found occasion heretofore to permit
techncality to put him on record against prohibi-
ton when his attitude really counted had not Who'll
~ shaken the confidence many have had in him.
4 The Delegates positionis as hard to grasp as is
that assumed by the commanding general of the
department This latter officer of the government
refuses either to endorse or condemn the request
OF the chamber of commerce that the President
exercise his right under the Selective Service Act
TO proclaim Oahu dry territory during the period
OF the war. He takes the stand that this is mat
ter to be decided by the civilians and is something
which does not concern him as commander Of the
regular forces an extraordinary attitude, surely,
The power which the President is asked to in
woke was voted to him as Commander of
the American Army and as a military measure an
extraordinary law necesstated by the war. The
action OF the chamber of commerce here is taken
solely because OF the presence on Oahu of several
thousand men OF the regular army, whom it is de-
sired to protect Such protection is desired as a
military necessity by the President and by every
patriotic man who believes in going the limit to
4 beat the Huns. The secretary OF war has called
upon the civil administrations to do whatever is
within their power to aid the army in the suppress
sion of the booze trade among soldiers and OF the
traffic in vice, implying by his request that the
army may be depended upon to lead the way in
such suppression. And yet, General Wiser be-
lieves tito be none of his business, as commander
of the Hawaiian department., whether the booze
traffic among his own men is suppressed in the
only possible way or notl At least he refuses to
endorse a request to the President that it be sup
pressed.
Kuhio differs from the general in theory but sup
ports him in practise The Delegate believes that
we should not call upon the President for his help
in handling even what we all know is beyond our
own accomplishment. He believes in going about
half way in prohibition, throwing all the business
into tbs haAdssef the blind pggers and permitting
only those Bdoze VII can afford to import theif
own stocks or who are small enough to become
patrons OF the illicit dealers He places his home
rule theory ahead Of the plain, patriotic require
inents of the times.
Apparently neither the Delegate nor the depart
ment commander have grasped the fact that this
is wartime, patriotic question to be settled for
the benefit Of the soldiers in training and in garri-
son here. 1t is more purely civilian matter
than the cleaning up of Seattle was and Major
General Greene showed no hesitancy in declaring
himself there for thu. protection OF the men at Camp
Lewis. 1t is no more a civilian concern than the
vice and booze situation in Newport, in which
Secretary of the Navy Daniels took a prompt hand
1t is no more a matter to be settled only by the
civilians of Honolulu than the cleaning up of FL
Paso was matter for FL Pasans alone and the
late Major General Funston made that very plain
In the same way, the Delegate ought to know
that the nmatter referred to the President in no
wise clashes with his "home rule" policy The
fact OF the war has swept that policy aside, just
as it has the policy of the right of the individual
to govern his own life, the right of the individual
corporation to and operate a railroad, the
right of the shipowner to charter his vessel to
whom he will and the right of American youths to
elect whether to become soldiers or not
IN This is war, gentlemen, and in war America ex-
poets every man to do his duty, whether he likes
1t or not.