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Elections—and War TIM WARREN Note: Because an emergency exists in Hawaii of sufficient gravity to demand military rule, many believe that the regular and primary elections, scheduled for this year, should be called off. Others are of the opinion that the elections should be held. The military governor has announced that the military will not interfere with the election processes, unless the situation in Hawaii requires otherwise. Mr. Warren’s article constitutes not only one man’s opinion, but perhaps the opinion of many, and for that reason it is published herewith. E It was inevitable that someone should bring up the question of the autumn elections. It was inevitable that the politicians—out of office—should demand that the elections be held. It was inevitable that many of those in office, for the sake of appearances, should advocate holding the elections—as usual.As usual? A bit funny, that. Nothing in these islands can be done as usual—as it was done in pre-war days. That’s patent—nothing. We are at war. Life’s routine isn’t the same. It can’t be. Nothing is the same. It can’t be. Some favor omitting the primaries. Others favor omitting both primaries and the general election. Why an election, anyhow? Why try to change horses during an emergency? Besides, we are not living under constitutional government in Hawaii. We are living under military government. Justice is administered by martial law. Nearly every territorial officer is a figurehead of some sort. It is as it should be. In war, it is not the politician, the public officeholder, who directs military and naval strategy. So in an emergency, such as we have in Hawaii, it is the military that must take over, the military that must direct. The military is doing it—thoroughly and well. Why hamper a smoothly functioning, orderly government with a couple of hectic elections? Military or otherwise, war or otherwise, elections this year can, and 63 First published June 1942. will, if held, be just as hectic as formerly, unless restricted in some way.The military might censor the speeches—and I’m sure that would be a sensible thing to do in war time. They will prohibit night meetings , undoubtedly. Luaus will be curtailed. But even so, why spend all this effort on elections, on trying to throw somebody out of office in order to throw somebody else in when the effort could be directed toward winning the war. For the life of me, I can’t see how two elections could help anything when the government is expecting an allout war effort from everybody. All these men in office are functioning with military advice. New men, placed in office, would function likewise . Why make changes now? It doesn’t add up. I read somewhere that someone fears that our constitutional rights may be trampled upon if we do not have these elections. I do not know what the law is in the matter, but I do know that where other laws of the Territory have interfered with all-out defense, these laws have been placed on the shelf for the duration. We might go on and on, said the person interviewed, on and on, forever afterwards without elections if we call them off now.Tommyrot! Let us always remember this: The war is being fought that our form of government shall not perish from the face of the earth, that the freedom of all peoples of the earth shall not perish. Hence, it is rank foolishness to preach the doctrine that if we do not hold the elections we may by that omission create a precedent that will bar elections hereafter. The thought is too silly to harbor, even for a moment. Why elect a new legislature, or go through the routine of returning the old to office? It is a hundred-to-one shot that the legislature is not going to hold any meetings while we are at war—certainly not until the military governor deems it expedient that, for defense or offense purposes, such meetings should be held. Hawaii has no parallel in any Mainland community in this war emergency. Hawaii has actually been attacked by an enemy. Hawaii may be attacked again. It conceivably could happen on election day. Then, if the elections are held, and new faces appear at the city hall— what of it? As long as there is an emergency in the islands, will the present form...

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