The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-01
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORMATION BUREAU
FREDERIC }. HASKIN, D5eefss
Washington, D. c.
HAWAII AT WAR.

Washington D. c.. April 2S.-
They're knitting socks for soldiers
now. on the beach at Waikiki
Hawaii, Uncle Sans lonely little
bulwark in the Pacific, is at WAT with
the greatest military machine. the
world has ever known. And Hawaii,
unlike some communities in our own
United states, realizes the fact. The
territory has exceeded its quota IN the
third liberty loan by several million
dollars. The first two loans were also
oversubscribed. More than 5000 Ha-
waiians have volunteered and have
been accepted for service in the army
and navy. Had our own forty-eight
states responded proportionately as
we'll we would now have an army OF
100000 volunteers under arms.
]. Kullio Kalanianaole is Hawaiis
lone representative in congress. Ka-
lnnianaole is true Hawaiian. Were
the islands still Independent, he would
and sole heir of Queen Liliuokalani,
the last royal ruler of the Hawaiian
kingdom. Since the annexation or
the islands, he has served his coun-
try as effectively during fourteen
terms intthe congress of the United
States. This is how he sums the
service of these faraway Americans at
this time:
ITO help their fellow citizens on the
mainland in these troublesome times
is the great object of all Hawaiians.
They will fight and they will pillow I'M
til victory comes to our country and
peace to the world. And while they
pillow and while they fight each and
every Hawaiian will have always in
his mind Hawaii's motto, The life OF
the land is established in righteous
ness -
While Hawaii. as much as Brook
Ign or Kalamazoo. is subject to the
draft, the five thousand men who
have volunteered from the islands
have given the territory so many
least, no Hawaiian need be conscript-
ed. AS might be expected, the great
ma ority of the islanders who have
enlisted nave entered the navy. On
the cruiser st. Louis practically every
enlisted man and a good proportion
a fact which thruout our fleet has
gained the vessel the sobriquet of
| 1.-THE Ukelele."
Here and there the service flags OF
Hawaii all eady bear a golden star.
| Five sons of the Islands went down
with the Aztec when that ship fell
victim to German submarine warfare.
Another lost his life for the freedom
| Of the seas when the Rockingham was
| tcrpedeed.
In other ways Hawaii has already
| had a real taste of war. Several Ger
man warships have been interned at
Honolulu since the early days of
world conflict. When America enter
ed the war, the crew of the German
cruiser Geier set the craft on fire.
acting under wireless orders from
| Berlin. A quantity of ammunition
was stored aboard and the Teutons
lost no time in scurrying for the
gangplank. A&handful %of marines,
revolvers in hand, held them back.
| "If you want to blow her up, go
ahead" said the sergeant in charge.
'only, guess you Dutchmen will go
along with her" The Germans put
out the blaze themselves and than dis
| mantled their wireless to avoid en-
| harrassfng questions from the kaiser.
| The Geier has now been repaired and
with an American crew is on patrol
duty in the Pacific.
| Ka1anianaolc is himself from Wal
| kiki and relates with pride how the
former frivolities of that famous
beach resort have given way to the
stern duties of war "All the girls on
the beach are knitting now" he says.
land even the canoe boys are taking
it up in their leisure moments" The
| throne room in the former palace at
Honolulu has been turned into a Red
Cross work room and in the clearing
stations for wounded behind the lines
in France there are today hundreds
of carefully prepared surgical dress
|
Panama canal. A fine example of
island patriotism was given the other
| day by the 1eper colony in Molokai.
| On this island, where none but lepers
are allowed to live, over ten thousand
| dollars was in a few hours subscribed
lanianaole has III his office a cable
gram from the leper settlement tell
| ing the joy of thse unfortunates that
in the time of need they had been
able to assist the mother country
| which none of them can ever see -
So great was the response of Ha-
wall to the first call for volunteers,
that under recommendations from the
food administration, the war depart
nent has found it necessary to demo-
! hilize a number of militia companies
| in order that food production might
not be iEterfercd with. Not only do
the islands feed themselves, but large
| Quantities of sugar, rice, fish and
fruit are exported to the United
States. He wsiian sugar helped to tide
the nation over the recent sugar
shortage Hawaii has now Hoover
lied herself to be of further assistance
to the mother country. and a food
commission has been created by the
island legislature. Under its direction
there is widespread movement to
till every acre of fertile land. a service
lin which Hawaiian school children
have enlisted in great numbers
The war has brought a new sense
OF unity between the continental
United States and our island posses.
sions. The nation now sees in Hawai-
her true western frontier. Two thou.
sand odd miles out in the Pacific
the islands that constitute the terri.
tory Of Hawaii stand guard for ouI
Pacific coast line from Alaska to Pan
anna. Much is being done by both the
army and navy to bring the military
establishments and Notifications anl
the great naval base at Pearl Harbol
to perfect efficiency. Kalanianaolt
is working out a plan by which ever,
abie-bodied man in the territor,
would be trained to serve his coun.