The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-03-29
TaE ADVERTISERs S1MIWEEKLY
'Taling Insane Chances

- sfts
IrTNHE Associated Press despatch; carried by The
~ I Advertiser yesterday inotning, that the po
iists of San Francisco have secured the names of
~ w. w. plotters in Honolulu, ought to open the
eyes of some local residents, who tontihre to act
as II this war could not in anSa way touch Hawaii
Many cannot grasp the idea that this port is an
important one in ttanspaclfc, trade and that the
destruction or gjpplng OF abe Honalulut water
front would Be a stroke of goodibusiness for the
Kaiser t-%t# AS ~@.
For reasons best known to the Authorities, the
news OF more than one frustrated attempt to pull
something off" in this city has been suppressed.
II is not reasonable to suppose that the continued
attempts. such there undoubtedly will be, will
|be equally met by the authorities unless all the
agencies for our protection work together and all
loyal citizens maintain themselves on guard
We are the object of plotters, just as New York
is and as many other points throughout the coun-
airy. A blow struck against Honolulu would be
more effective than one against Tahiti or Tanning
Island. and all know how Papeete was bonn
barded and how the cable station at Tanning was
wrecked. The Huns who threw shells into that
undefended South Sea town and who robbed the
Fanning station Of its. supply of money would
bornbard Hilo with equal pleasure or lay Lhue
under tribute lacking warships sont the Pacific,
.hey are as ready to fall back npon dynamite and
sabotage here as they have been to use these at
many other places during the past four years
s5sWe are blind fools if we fail TO regard the
repeated warnings we, have received; = We are
guilty OF being accessories to treason when we fail
adequately to guard our powder magazines and
our Kerosene storerooms aid tanks.
That permission was granted this week Or an
alien enemy to sail from this port in charge Of a
vessel capable of being turned into supply ship
for a possible raider was, in our opinion, an act
OF folly&t iEyerything surrounding the building and
the oat6ttihg of the schooner Puck has been sus-
picious, even though so reputable a citizen as
Marston Campbell has been associated with the
work. One good name like his might easily be
used to camouhage an infinite amount of dirty
work. 81. - p, - ..' -" = ~
The Puck may be the harmless carrier of Ere
wood the owners claim. She also may not be, and
why should wefrun the chances of the latter !:
Alien enemies here do not have to engage in lines
Of trade that permit them to carry on Hun side
lines II they so desire. J.. .,--.~..ss., :....
T. And what we have permitted with the Puck
we permit with number of other things. A few
days ago murderous- minded youth had access
to. atstore of high explosives on Kauai He only
attempted to blow up seven or eight women school
teachers, but If he could secure dynamite, caps
and fuse for his little prank, why could not some
y. w. wv. secure supply from the same place for
the3destruetion OF one Of our oil tanks?
is notpieeessary that we be unjust to the alien
enemies here; but it is equally unnecessary that
we be unjust to ourselves, and we are unjust to
ourselves when we take such chances as permit
ting an aiien2owned. ahenbuit alien-rnanned ship
to sail INTO the high seas at time when the an
thorities on the Coast are towing one captured
raider into port and announcing that other raiding
parties are being organized on the west coast of
Mexico We are taking chances with our water
front, with our water supply, with the health of
The community, and every chance we take appears
either to save or to make dollar ID
When some drunken fool curses the President
we have fit of indignation, but when some sober,
calculating Hun appears in midst we go out
Of our way to grant him special favors to show
our 'nagnanimity" What we are displaying in
actuality, is only our gubility and our lack OF
ability to grasp the fact that we are dealing at
war with nation that snaps its fingers at honor
and exalts treachery and lies into virtues.
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