The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-01-22
ASHFORD REFUSES
/ TO CONFER WITH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Minces No'Words IN Expressing
i ! s0piplongof That Officials Atti-
4 tude On LIQUOR Situation
J STILL WILLING TO
NJ AID LICENSE BOARD
Y Commission Waits For Stain
back To Act u viii Be Wait
i Until Last Trumpet

Cirenits Judge. v. w, tAshfprd again
espresped his Willingness yesterday to
ten the Oahu liquor license commission
srt how they may enforce rules and
curb bootlegging, but he was emphatic
in the statement that he has nothing
to present TO the attorney general in
the matter. Judge Ashford win meet
: the commissioners In the supervisors
room Of the city hall at four o'clock
next Friday afternoon. Z ~"aAF.
Following Judge Ashford Is statement
last week that he stood ready to give
his services and outline a method I'M
der which the commissioners could legal
~ curb bootlegging, shorten the hours
in which saloons are open and enforce
restrictions generally, n letter accept
ing his offer was sent to him by Chair
man r. A. Cooke Of the commission.
In. connection with this letter Chairman
Cooke said to The Advertiser that the
commission would be willing to under.
take any methods Judge Ashford might
advise providing that these methods are
legal Gas interpreted by the attorney
general, ",who il counsel for the com
mission. ln.. Ec~ FL
Judge Takes Stand .... .5ss.I
Judge Ashford made IL plain that
he had nothing TO offer for the inter
probation Of the attorney general. He
said he intended TO meet the commits
sioners next Friday afternoon and tell
them how they might proceed legally
10 do all the things he holds they have
power TO do. What he will offer at
that time, however, will be for the IL
cense commissioners to accept or re-
ject without reference to the attorney
general. T.
T"There are some contract" he said
yesterday in this connection, "that /
know enough not TO attempt.
an that board sits on its launches
until some scheme Of action is present
ed that meets the approval Of the attor-
ney general, IL will be sitting there
when Gabriel blows his horn."r
Judge Ashford said he had received
the letter from Chairman Cooke, but
he said this letter accepting the offer
he had made does not make the accept
auee OF the plan he had in mind con.
ditional upon the attorney general 3 APP
provsl. d slil. y s.Ift' ~ EsSrfs. AsE.s &
Explains Position ,>@'. T. =.
'HIf IL had, would have dropped 1t
at once, :" the judge declared.
ttAlthough The Advertiser article on
the subject gave me to understand that
the attorney generals approval in the
matter would be d condition upon which
they would like to hear from me, the
letter from Chairman Cooke said moth
ing Of this.
III have assumed therefore that they
do not expect me to propose a plan of
action subject TO the approval of the
attorney general and will meet with
them next Friday as has been arranged
and tell them what they can do.
"If they have the backbone to go
ahead they can accept it. Otherwise
they may leave It alone, or refer 1t to
the attorney general.
judges Letter
Judge Ashfortl's action in the mat
ter grew out of letter he addressed
to The Advertiser about a week ago
when he declared an injustice was
being done to the soldiers by permit
ting saloons of the city to remain open
after seven clock in the evening.
In his communication Judge Ash
ford pointed out that more soldiers
are on the street at night than in the
day time and he stated that they must
feel keenly the injustice Of situa-
ton in which civilians enjoyed privi-
leges denied to them. In this con-
nection he held that the present con-
dition led to widespread bOotlegging,
rs. soldiers, feeling themselves treated
unjustly, naturally had the impulse to
place themselves on an equality with
those about them in the matter Of pri-
vileges This presented the opportuni-
ty for the bootlegger, Judge Ashford 5
letter indicated.
Cooke Replies
Replying to this communication,
Chairman Cooke of the license board
contended that the commissioners were
without authority of law in the mat
ter He drew attention to the fact
that the hour of closing saloons is de-
fined by law as eleven-thirty. The
commissioners could mot order them to
close earlier, he eontended.
Referring to the period shortly after
the United States entered the war
when saloons Of the city closed their
doors early in the evening, Chairman
Cooke asserted this was done by the
liquor dealers either as d voluntary pa,
triOtie act or it was due to pressure Of
public opinion. Later, he said, when
the federal law went into effect barr
ing men in uniform from saloons,
dealers here asked to have the old
closing hour restored. The license COM
mission, he commended, was without
power, in, the matter and the former
closing hour Of eleven thirty O'Clock
again went into effect.
This statement from Chairman Cooke
brought the assertion from Judge Ash
ford that the license commission had
sufficient power to make rules and en-
force them. He declared that the IL
cense commissioners were fully en-
powered to force the saloons to close
early in the evening and he gave en-
phasis to this contention by offering to
give his services to the commits oners
and show them how they could legally
put their rules In force.
Chairman Cookies letter accepting
the judges offer then followed. Judge
Ashford will set forth the methods he
has in mind before the commissioners
at the conference to be held next Fri.
day afternoon. st. y