The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-03-26
.HANAhMaSEN0K I.
RE,TRENChTOQEAR,
, SAYS M0TESltIEH
Abandpuths pt 81 Ptpieci Con
stru6tibn Woek cfeatss Seri-
Gus Situation Is His Opinion
TIMIDlTY CAMouFLkGED
/ !. - / ASPRTRloTl CAUSE
llrueht Edierprises Should Not Be
Dropped To Put Money Into.
Funds, Asserts Supervisor, , q

y ~ Il
Hawaii, with public aud pEixate foqnI
strpetion programs suspended forf the
war and an approaching skilled labor
crisis threatening the status quo of gun
repey circulation, stands ip 4. Rsepliar
situation in which some meapA must be
devised to keep the ball a.toiiingi'
I IL gan, opinion expressed yesterday, by
Supervisor E. A. Mott smith, ehairma II
q the finance eNmRiites n ths beard
OF Supervisors. e. s.H, ~ ,
.To, what extent can Hawaii re,
trench in the interests az the Katipn
without imP@ilipg Der own veil,
being 4, Mr.. MOttsSmith ssks. riwould
the Nation, which depends on us so
heavily, consider it patriotism for us
to allow vital Affairs Of the Islands to
approach panic conditions through our
eageghess to. retreheh and our eonser
vatism in all matters, PeEtaipipg to
money outlayi" ~
y Mr. Mott Smith, in the charm he
feels about what may be the result of
too much, eurtailment Of the usual Or.
der Of things, refers entirely 70 nat.
tiers z Of public constrdetion " which
should normally employ thousands OF
skilled men who are even now begin.
ping to find themselves ont Of use and
fw. whose services there appears no i'm,
Mediate demand. 'n -.
What Can Be DOpe7, r,, j. -.. - d.
~ e"Ohr entry into the war has sus.
,pendsd building construction Id Homo.
. luhi alone which would have Amounted
TO millions" said Mr.. Mott Smith.
2 What is to be done TO od-set this con.
djtion Of affairs unless we can eontriye
/. TO make Territory and national patriot
ism wDrk hand in handf'h a. -fSr
Mr.. Mott-Smith believes that this
situation can be met, and is outspoken
THAI il must be met in some CmanneT
10. offset impending paralysis IN. Ha.
waii at the end of the war IL not in
tIIe seonfse sof Il. The Territory he
points emit, occupies . position that
differs from any portion Of the main
lafEl owing TO the fact than thafSiret'
lation of money here is q localized mat
ter, that conditions Of the draft and
Of war Industries which have prevents
ed similar diffieultIes on the mainland
are not present here, and that tAs
degree - Of retrenEhment In 'HhNai
has gone to unwaTranted lenQths.' ~fs,
The conditions Of the citys hnanc,
es aref unfortunate,' said Mr.. Mott
Smith, "because, Of the number, ot
city projects which are impossible IN
der present conditions There ara
however, some things that gan b
DONE he added, provided the eity
will realize the plight in which Va
stand and help them along. ODa al
these things Is the belt road project
Z in which have taken d keen interest
on these very grounds Of social ex
pedieney II these $3.50, 900 bonds ear
only be assured, thAt work Cargo 4
long way towards maintaining healthy
conditions in the affairs of these ID
lands, F.. a
Loss Of Commercial Center
The abandonment of the bi projeel
for a Commercial Center, in which q
dozen or more large enterprises weTl
involved, is one Of the things that M
Nett Smith bewails. Many o. tn
ather Improvements now nearing com
pletion, some of which were fostefel
by the city for the sake of AeAlths
many conditions, would not have beel
4 undertaken If il had been known tina
this country would become involves
In the great war, he believes,
81 do not think that unnecessaf,
thingsi should be pushed for the fnep
sake OF spending money which nigh
be Of 1iore use TO the Nation, but I
DO think that neGessary, urgent enter
pFises should not be abandoneh in or
der that the money might be place.
in national funds which, although the,
may also be urgent, should not b
furthered at vital sacrifices 70 he
w6ii,a' said Mr.. Matt Smith. ''t'A q
Opinions which haze been receieet
from the waf department from tim
TO time have, Mr.. Mott-Smith beliHyes
taken the same grounds with fefeI
4 ence to the Abandonment Of business
4 The chairman Of the finance e6thmitte
frankly attributes the presents uhfa,
orable, Outlo0k to oSer-PecautioA an
timidity in the fEtherapee Of afsiI
involving large Aiips OF money. u
says that Fetrenehnient for the sake, 3
z Investment in government bonds hs
played a much smaller role ....g.
Sugar To tRlAme .,.,," J..
a M other quarters apprehension 4
fell In matters Of the skilled labor ma
kee. This view Is taken by City ID
eIneef "A! g. Cantin. That tAesd me
might all be put into productive plae'
in the sugar industry Ii granted, q
though this is not considered y soll
tiongand,in some opinions expresse
on this point yesterday, the placing
skilled men in the cane fields wDtal
be distinct downward step ON IL
count. Of the results that would folio
such mover Concentration on suks
production, 10 the exclusion t.of> sybI
other Industry, Is held by Mr.. Met
smith and others ID De, part and pare
Of the present predicament in whit
the city finds itself ,.' - So u
"A growing Tendency foE the "tish
eningps Of money j. held 10 have FL
ments Of danger for the entire TER
tory that warrant q new policy on n
part Of the GIVE ones" ofSthe cit
Into this enters the changed eoh(
fions that prohibition will bring abo
and which will have to be eonipenss
ca IN some manner in order TO preye
A ~ \. y. . u i ~