The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-11-16
BY WESTBR0OK PEGLER

NEW YORk.-A recent issue OF the honolulu
Advertiser contained small and, apparently,
for Honolulu, commonplace, news item con-
corning civilian absenteeism which should in
terest all of us. 1t said that Capt John F..
Wickhem, provost judge, had made it per
fectly plain to defendants charged with alb
senteeism yesterday in his court that he would
not be lenient on offenders"
The Advertiser then named Is men who
had been sent to Jail for terms of from ~
days to two months for this offense, eight
of whom were fined from 500 to $3.50 In addl-
ton Five got straight sentences Of two months
without fines. One got two months and $3.50.
In the other cases, the fines were suspended
but the men were sent to jail, six of them
for 30 days and one for 20 days.
The story does not say by what authority
military officer could impose these penalties
for refusal to work but presumably that au-
thoritv has been established and recognized,
possibly because Honolulu. in the light OF
Dec. 7. 1941, has been identified as combat
area. Similar action has been taken by Amer
lean military authorities in other war zones
in Africa and the south Pacific against CIVIL
liam sailors for Sinking duty and other mis-
conduct.
The commanding officer in Honolulu is
Mai. Gen. R. C. Richardson, thu very model
of the West Point soldier, who served a tour
as commandant of cadets at the Military AGA
denny and who is known in the Army as Mel
lie Richardson for the reason, I believe, that
he is so very precise, proper and strict. he
is noted for his tenacity as well, which ex-
pressed itself not long ago in conflict between
the military authorities which he represented
and upheld and the civil authority represent
ed by federal judge. I lost track OF the
controversy but believe the settlement was
postponed like the trials of the generals pre-
decessor and of Admiral Kimnnel, until less
crowded hour. I have an impression, how
ever, that General Richardson did not lose
the contest.
Incidentally for any Light thai it may throw
on the present case, six OF the IL dl1ferent
absentees bore Japanese names and some of
the others. at a guess, would be Filipinos
That may be insignificant however, because
there is large element of citizens and other
residents of japanese blood and Filipinos.
The man who sent the item described him.
self as an officer of the regular Navy VINO
was present during the attack on Pearl Har-
Dor and who has not been home to the MAN.
land since the war began. He wrote approx
ngly of the sentences and indicated conVlc-
ton that war workers at home who go out on
strike are no better than these 10. In this he
only voiced an opinion which has been ex-
pressed in other letters from men OF the navy,
the Army and the Marine Corps IN COMBAT
areas since John Lewis struck the coal mines 1,
last spring They may not know the law, 'ile
issues, or the fine points of unionlsm out 1hey
are living under military compuls1on thehl-
selves and in constant danger ana tney are
to understate their feelings, lmpatleh'.
It would be absurd to sugges at the present
stage of the game that similar proceeoihss
could take place against strikers IN war pro-
duction Jobs on the MAINLAND IL oiily w
the reason that strikes are so commonplace
and strikers so many. NeVertheleo1' 49,. h. =
while an indirect approach TO com .nn;a,s
been made at home under the terms ~ va- 49,
jobfreezing orders and through M, a. ~ .ooe6,re
of nondeferable occupations. THIS procedure :!
is M more legal than the method USED III
Honolulu but it is less startling because ~ has
heen Indirect In many cases, too, IL ,ao 30 oo
the incidental effect of forcing ostenslply LIE
men to pay tribute 10 unions "ol $50,
to work at jobs designated ny ~ e. ,soi1;+a,v
ment. often as the ALTERNATIVE " 1o.-a heen
service. Union leaders, y ll'a asS,onT1sion for
observed. have approved this coiip
this reason. ,,nroxiro ate
Possibly the Honolulu cases app .oos ~ -
f.so;s,,, Int If is worth remembering IND
fascism in Italy was the co !t' sor,e e1e-
against an aggravated conol,io" ada their
ments of which nave areaoy 4la +eronor.
appearance in the United states - of
arv absence and political volceieso ,r;oo,o,,s
millions of the most patflo'iO
citizens of the republic
-V--
| We haven't really begun 10 ma In contra ST
fees in the United States as y.r .r,novances
to what I've seen today our htIle LII indeed =
and sacrifices at home seem nrs,aenthau. Jr
TreaSury-Secretary Henry lno-