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April 5, 2020 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Flying the American Flag

“Twenty-eight members of the crew of the American armed steamer Aztec, 3,808 tons, which was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine are missing …”  (Mercury, April 5, 1917)

Before we expand on this, let’s look back – both in Hawaiʻi and elsewhere.

Captain John Dominis was an Italian-American ship captain and merchant from New York who had been trading in the Pacific since the 1820s.  In the 1840s, he purchased property on Beretania Street; he built a home for his family, Mary Lambert Dominis (his wife) and John Owen Dominis (his son.)

In 1847, on a voyage to China, Captain Dominis was lost at sea. To make ends meet, the widowed Mary then rented spare bedrooms; one of her tenants was American Commissioner Anthony Ten Eyck.  Impressed with the white manor and grand columns out front, Ten Eyck said it reminded him of Mount Vernon (George Washington’s mansion) and that it should be named “Washington Place.”

King Kamehameha III, who concurred, Proclaimed as ‘Official Notice,’ “It has pleased His Majesty the King to approve of the name of Washington Place given this day by the Commissioner of the United States, to the House and Premises of Mrs. Dominis and to command that they retain that name in all time coming.”  (February 22, 1848)

In 1862, John Owen Dominis married Lydia Kamakaʻeha (also known as Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī.)  Lydia Dominis described Washington Place “as comfortable in its appointments as it is inviting in its aspect.”  Reportedly, the American flag flew at the residence until Mary Dominis’s death, when Liliuokalani had it removed.  (Mary Dominis died on April 25, 1889, and the premises went to her son, John Owen Dominis, Governor of Oʻahu.)

Lydia was eventually titled Princess, and later became Queen Liliʻuokalani, in 1891.  John Owen Dominis died shortly after becoming Prince consort (making Liliʻuokalani the second widow of the mansion;) title to the home then passed to Queen Liliʻuokalani.

On the continent, former Princeton University president and governor of New Jersey, Woodrow Wilson was elected President in 1912; under him, the US proclaimed its neutrality from the beginning of World War I (in the summer of 1914.)

After the German sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915 (which killed 1,201 people, including 128 Americans,) Wilson sent a strongly worded warning to Germany.  After attempts to broker peace, then sinking of the American cargo ship Housatonic, Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany.

With German submarine warfare continuing unabated, the final straw came on April 1, 1917, when the armed merchant ship Aztec was sunk off the northwest coast of France by U-boat 46 under the command of Leo Hillebrand. The Aztec was on its way from New York to Le Havre, France with a cargo of timber, copper, steel, chemicals and machinery.

All twenty eight members of the crew were killed, including Boatswain’s Mate First Class John I Eopolucci, a Naval Armed Guard – the first US Navy sailor killed in action in World War I.  The attack on the Aztec was the final straw and led to America’s intervention into World War I.

On April 2, 1917, President Wilson appeared before Congress to deliver his historic war message and asked for a declaration of war against Germany.  (history-com)  Then as Congress convened, two more ships were sunk, the large freighter Missourian and the schooner Marguerite, with no casualties aboard either ship.  On April 6, 1917, after twenty-nine months of official neutrality, the US declared war on Germany, formally entering World War I.

The passage of the war resolution by Congress, April 5, 1917, and the issuance of the President’s proclamation the next day declaring that “a state of war exists between the United States and the Imperial German Government,” was the signal for Hawaiʻi once more to declare its loyalty and pledge its unfaltering support of the nation’s cause. Appropriate resolutions were adopted by the legislature and by numerous clubs and organizations.  (Kuykendall)

On the very day on which President Wilson delivered his memorable war message to Congress, the ground for his indictment of the German government was brought home to the people of this territory by news that five youths from Hawaiʻi had lost their lives in the sinking of the Aztec.  (Kuykendall)

When the American steamer Aztec was sunk a few days ago by a German submarine, five Hawaiians … lost their lives …. Two of these Hawaiians were residents of Honolulu, the other three of Hawaiʻi.  (Hawaiian Gazette, April 3, 1917).

The five Hawaiian merchant marines that were part of the Aztec crew were: John Davis, Charles Kanai, Eleka Kaohi, Julian R Macomber and Henry Rice (they were all civilians.)

Support grew for an event to mourn the loss of Hawaiʻi’s first war dead.  In a memorial service for the five, held April 22, 1917, “The dead were eulogized as heroes who lost their lives while maintaining the right of the principle that the seas are free to all.  About a pavilion platform that was decorated with the Star Spangled Banner and the flag of Hawaiʻi … more than 2000 gathered …”

“That the Hawaiians died in the service of their country in upholding American right of legitimate commerce at sea was emphasized by the presence on the platform of the heads of the military and naval service in Hawaiʻi, and there was a solemn martial atmosphere to the gathering to remind even casual spectators that this was a memorial service in war time.”  (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 23, 1917)

“Senator HL Desha speaking in Hawaiian delivered an oration appropriate to the occasion. He spoke of the five brave men who died doing their duty and declared that for all we know on this earth, these men might have sacrificed their lives for the peace of the whole world.”  (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

Lorrin Andrews delivered an oration on what the American flag represents, “There is a Flag floating over this building which symbolizes to all of us that which we hold most dear. It was conceived in a struggle for liberty against oppression. It presided over the birth of the greatest republic that the world has ever seen, and it has always represented honor, freedom and justice.”  (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

Not long before her death in 1917, Queen Liliuokalani nobly expressed support of the United States in World War I by ordering that the American flag be flown over Washington Place.  (hawaii-gov)

“For the first time in its long and picturesque history, Washington Place, home of Queen Liliʻuokalani, was decorated today with an American flag.”

“It was the occasion of the visit of the legislators to pay their respects to the aged queen and in view of the extraordinary crisis in international affairs and the prospect of patriotic war action by congress …”

“… the queen allowed the flag to be flown in honor of the government which years ago was responsible for her loss of a monarchy.”  (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 3, 1917)  (Reportedly, the American flag continued to fly over Washington Place.)

Liliʻuokalani continued to occupy Washington Place until her death later that year (November 11, 1917.)

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SS Aztec
Aztec-torpedoed-1917
Declaration of War -Wilson Delivering War Message
Declaration of War
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Washington Place
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Washington Place
Washington Place

Filed Under: General, Ali'i / Chiefs / Governance, Buildings, Military Tagged With: Oahu, Liliuokalani, Queen Liliuokalani, World War I, Washington Place, Flag, Hawaii

February 4, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Four Minute Men

“Men and nations are at their worst or at their best in any great struggle. The spoken word may light the fires of passion and unreason or it may inspire to highest action and noblest sacrifice a nation of freemen.”

“Upon you Four-Minute Men, who are charged with a special duty and enjoy a special privilege in the command of your audiences, will rest, in a considerable degree, the task of arousing and informing the great body of our people …”

“… so that when the record of these days is complete we shall read page for page with the deeds of army and navy the story of the unity, the spirit of sacrifice, the unceasing labors, the high courage of the men and women at home who held unbroken the inner lines.”

“My best wishes and continuing interest are with you in your work as part of the reserve officer corps in a nation thrice armed because through your efforts it knows better the justice of its cause and the value of what it defends.” (Woodrow Wilson, November 9, 1917)

The Four Minute Men, a nation-wide organization of volunteer speakers, was organized June 16, 1917, for the purpose of assisting the various Departments of the Government in the work of national defense during World War I.

They delivered short pro-war speeches, as part of an effort to galvanize public support for the war and suppress dissent. The subject matter was prepared and the speaking was directed from Washington under the authority of the Government. (Four Minute Men, Committee on Public Information, November 25, 1917))

“‘The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth’ – that is the kernel of the messages the Four Minute Men are asked to convey to the American people.”

“The truth about the war, we believe, is such that it need but to be spread clearly in order to convince the public that we must fight on. Those who do not so believe should not attempt to convince others.” (Four Minute Men, Committee on Public Information, 1918)

“Our cause were weak, indeed, if we needed to bolster it up in the approved Prussian fashion by hiding of facts, statements of half truths, exaggerations, and sophistries.”

“Our cause is strong in so far as we can afford to be frank and open, and the speaker who is frank and open ready to concede the contrafacts, willing to admit doubt wherever doubt rightfully exists, and making no claims beyond authentic authoritative knowledge, is powerful, because he. stands on the rock of fairness. His honesty shines through his words.”

“At no time should our audiences be led to feel that Government speakers appear before them to implant thoughts skillfully designed to create some “desired impression.” The public should realize rather that the Government sends its representative to state indisputable facts.”

“To impress others with our honesty we need but to be honest. Then, honesty is the armor, frankness and fairness are the weapons, and the champion of the Right becomes invincible.”

“As a matter of policy, too, we can not emphasize too strongly that the most conservative statement is the most powerful. Calling the Kaiser a devil, condemning everything done in war by the enemy, indulging generally in tirades, may bring applause from partisans, but it does not make a single convert.”

“Our audiences may be divided into three classes – those favoring the war, those in doubt, and those who are so imbued with pacifism or pro-German sentiments that no appeal to the heart to reason or common sense can draw them to us. It is our problem to reach the second class; with the other two classes we are but indirectly concerned.”

“The doubters want reasons and facts, not vituperation. If the speaker shows blindness to common sense, unwillingness to view facts in perspective, if he browses around to find extremest arguments, the purpose of the speech is lost.”

“But if he drives home the facts, the terrible proven facts, then he leaves no loophole for counterargument, and the case against Germany stands out—unassailable!”

In preparing speakers, the program provided the following ‘Four Minute Hints’:

  • “Stick to your time allowance. Five minutes means a guess; four minutes makes a promise.”
  • “Begin with a positive, concrete statement.”
  • “Tell them something at the start.”
  • “Use short sentences. The man who can’t make one word do the work of two is no four minute speaker.”
  • “Avoid fine phrases. You aren’t there to give them an ear full but a mind full.”
  • “Talk to the back row of your audience; you’ll hit everything closer in.”
  • “Talk to the simplest intelligence in your audience; you’ll hit everything higher up.”
  • “Be natural and direct. Sincerity wears no frills.”
  • “Give your words time. A jumbled sentence is a wasted sentence. You can’t afford waste on a four-minute allowance.”
  • “Don’t fear to be colloquial. Slang that your hearers understand is better than Latin that they don’t.”
  • “Don’t figure the importance of your job on a time basis. Four hours of thinking may go into four minutes of speaking.”
  • “You represent the United States of America. Don’t forget it. And don’t give your audience occasion to forget it.”
  • “Finish strong and sharp. The butterfly is forgotten as soon as he departs, but you recall the hornet because he ends with a point.”
  • “Finally, and always – Stick to your pledge and the four-minute limit.” (Four Minute Men, Committee on Public Information, 1918)

The Four-Minute Men idea was born in Chicago and has grown into a national division of war work; Hawaii participated in the Four Minute Men program.

“The success of the Four Minute Men is assured here, and their opportunities for usefulness are not restricted to patriotic speeches in the motion-picture houses of the city. They have a far wider field where their utterances should be valuable.” (Star Bulletin, December 6, 1917)

“The Four-Minute Men in Hawaii plan to furnish on short notice speakers on patriotic subjects for gatherings or meetings of any nature. It is now aiding the local food pledge campaign by four-minute speeches each evening at the Bijou and Liberty theaters. The organization is to become a permanent one.” (Star Bulletin, December 4, 1917)

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Liberty_Theatre-(TheatresOfHawaii)

Filed Under: General, Military, Economy Tagged With: Hawaii, World War I, Four Minute Men

December 4, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Thrift Stamps

“Department of the treasury officials are planning a campaign beginning December 3 (1917) to raise $2,000,000,000 in small savings through the sale of thrift-stamps, war-savings stamps and war-savings certificate.” (Star Bulleting, November 14, 1917)

“If you own a Thrift Stamp, it means that you want to help Win the War that you belong to the big, invincible Army of Thrift which is standing like a human wall behind that other Army, the Army of our fathers and brothers, and all the men we are so proud of ‘Over there.’”

“It doesn’t take much to buy a Thrift Stamp save up the nickles and see! When you have bought one Thrift Stamp, it doesn’t take long to fill up your card and get a War Savings Stamp and with every Stamp you buy, you are helping the Flag to go forward. Don’t forget that!” (Thrift Stamp Advertisement, The Garden Island, May 28, 1918)

“The war stamp drive begins next Tuesday. Everybody – old and young – are expected to sign a pledge agreeing to buy a certain number of thrift stamps every week for the remainder of the year.” (Maui News, May 17, 1917)

“Details on the war savings certificates, war-savings stamps and thrift stamps campaign to be opened by the United States department of the treasury on December 1, have been received by Robert F. Stever, general executive secretary of the local liberty loan committee during the recent campaign.”

“The sale of the war savings certificates will give the citizens of small means an opportunity to make investments in government securities.”

“The war-savings campaign will be in line with the general movement towards economy which has been inaugurated through the United States and its territories.”

“The war-savings certificate will be worth $100, when it matures on January 1, 1923. The war-savings stamp will have a maturity value of $5 in five years. A thrift stamp will be valued at 25 cents at the time purchased.”

“The plan makes it feasible for anyone to buy a $100 certificate in instalments of 25 cents. A thrift card will be provided and every time one has 25 cents to spare a thrift stamp can be purchased.”

“When the sixteen spaces on the thrift card are all filled with ‘two-bits’ thrift stamps the card is worth $4. It is then turned in together with the difference between $4 and the current price of a war-savings stamp. The war-savings stamp will be issued for $4.12 with a maturity value of $5 in 1923.”

“So that when a thrift card is filled, it can be turned in together with 12 cents for a war-savings stamp which has a par of $5 in five years. With the purchase of a war-savings stamp a $100 war-savings certificate with 20 blank spaces to which war-savings stamps may be affixed will be given.”

“When the holder of the certificate has finally filled the document with 20 war-savings stamps he will have a government paper that will be worth $100 in 1923, but which has cost him $82.40 to get.” (Star Bulletin, November 24, 1917)

“Chairman R. A. Wadsworth states that he expects Maui to average $20 per capita. This should be entirely feasible. It means the saving of only about 70 cents per week per person.”

“Of course there are many who will not be able to do this well, but there are also a great many others who should do so very much better that it will bring up the average.”

“A big corps of workers have been appointed for the different districts and they will begin having pledge cards signed up on next Tuesday. When a solicitor gives you a card fill it in for every cent you believe you can spare each week and then keep your promise.”

“Don’t forget that while you are helping Uncle Sam by lending him your money, you are also saving the money for your self and getting good interest for it. You will be glad to have a nice little next egg at the end of the year.” (Maui News, May 17, 1917)

“A small-sums war thrift plan has been organized by the Federal government to go into operation Dec. 3, probably somewhat later here.”

“Twenty-five, cent thrift stamps are being issued to be sold by the post office and various other agencies.”

“These stamps are to be affixed to a card, and when this card, which will hold 16 stamps, is full, it can be exchanged for a War Saving $4 stamp which will bear interest at 4%, compounded quarterly.”

“These stamps in turn will be exchanged, when they amount to that much, for US $100 certificates, which will finally be redeemed in 1923.”

“Having the entire wealth of the United States back of them, and being redeemable as above stated, there is no danger of any depreciation in value of the certificates.” (Garden Island, December 4, 1917)

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Thrift Stamp-25-cents
Thrift Stamp Card
Thrift Stamp Card
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War_Savings_Certificate_Stamp
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ar_Savings_Certificate_Stamp
war saving stamps card
war saving stamps card
War Savings Stamp card
War Savings Stamp card
War_Savings_Stamps_in_New_York_City_in_1918
War_Savings_Stamps_in_New_York_City_in_1918

Filed Under: General, Military, Economy Tagged With: War Savings Certificate, Hawaii, World War I, Thrift Stamps, War Savings Stamp

April 1, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Aztec

June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary’s throne, and his wife, Sophie, were visiting Sarajevo; Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the couple. A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

Within days, other countries got into the fray, including, Germany, Russia, France and United Kingdom; US President Woodrow Wilson announced the US would remain neutral.

After the German sinking of the British passenger ship Lusitania in May 1915 (which killed 1,201 people, including 128 Americans,) Wilson sent a strongly worded warning to Germany. After attempts to broker peace, then sinking of the American cargo ship Housatonic, Wilson broke off diplomatic relations with Germany.

With German submarine warfare continuing unabated, the final straw came on April 1, 1917, when the armed merchant ship Aztec was sunk off the northwest coast of France by U-boat 46 under the command of Leo Hillebrand. The Aztec was on its way from New York to Le Havre, France with a cargo of timber, copper, steel, chemicals and machinery.

All twenty eight members of the crew were killed, including Boatswain’s Mate First Class John I Eopolucci, a Naval Armed Guard – the first US Navy sailor killed in action in World War I. The attack on the Aztec was the final straw and led to America’s intervention into World War I.

“There are five Hawaiian boys thought to have been killed along with 16 Americans when the American steamer the Aztec was sunk.”

“This ship was sunk outside of the seas of France by the German submarine without being given prior time for the captain and his sailors to prepare themselves on the previous Sabbath.”

“Amongst the Americans who are thought to have died are some sailors of the navy which the government placed aboard the ship ….”

“These are the first sailors of the navy to become victims of the Prussians as they attacked without giving time for them to distance themselves from the calamity of the sea placed upon them, and it is believed that Germany is at fault for breaking the pact with America by Germany starting its massacre with its submarines.”

The Hawaiian boys killed on the Aztec by the Germans were: Julian R Macomber, Honolulu; Charles Pinapolo, Honolulu; Ekila Kaoki, Hawai‘i Island; Tato Davis, Hawai‘i Island and HK Price, Hawai‘i Island.

“When (Charles G) Macomber, the father of Julian Macomber, one of the Hawaiian boys whose bones were left at sea, heard the news, the father said:”

“‘My dear son as an American sailor, and a Hawaiian sailor, died a desirable death and I am happy. My son returned the other month in July of last year …’

“‘… and I told him that if he returned to the Atlantic coast, his life would be in danger, but he said that he was an American sailor so he was not frightened to go someplace, because he will only die once, and that he will die sometime. He was not going to be scared by Germany; I am a Hawaiian and an American sailor.’”

“This father repeated that he was happy to hear this news, but not over the death of his son.” (Aloha Aina, April 6, 1917)

On April 2, 1917, President Wilson appeared before Congress to deliver his historic war message and asked for a declaration of war against Germany.

Then as Congress convened, two more ships were sunk, the large freighter Missourian and the schooner Marguerite, with no casualties aboard either ship. On April 6, 1917, after twenty-nine months of official neutrality, the US declared war on Germany, formally entering World War I.

Support grew for an event to mourn the loss of Hawaiʻi’s first war dead. In a memorial service for the five, held April 22, 1917, “The dead were eulogized as heroes who lost their lives while maintaining the right of the principle that the seas are free to all. About a pavilion platform that was decorated with the Star Spangled Banner and the flag of Hawaiʻi … more than 2000 gathered …”

“That the Hawaiians died in the service of their country in upholding American right of legitimate commerce at sea was emphasized by the presence on the platform of the heads of the military and naval service in Hawaiʻi, and there was a solemn martial atmosphere to the gathering to remind even casual spectators that this was a memorial service in war time.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 23, 1917)

“Senator HL Desha speaking in Hawaiian delivered an oration appropriate to the occasion. He spoke of the five brave men who died doing their duty and declared that for all we know on this earth, these men might have sacrificed their lives for the peace of the whole world.” (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

“An incident of unusual interest took place just prior to the reception. Colonel ʻIaukea had told Lili‘uokalani of the sinking of the Aztec, resulting in the death of five Hawaiian sailors, and asked her if on that account she would like to raise the American flag over her home.”

“She replied, most emphatically: ‘Yes. Have you a flag?’ When he said, ‘No’ an army officer who happened to be present offered to procure one. On its arrival the Queen went into the yard to watch the ceremony of raising the Stars and Stripes for the first time over Washington Place.” (Kihapi‘ilani; Ola o Hawaii, June 21, 1917)

“For the first time in its long and picturesque history, Washington Place, home of Queen Liliʻuokalani, was decorated today with an American flag.”

“It was the occasion of the visit of the legislators to pay their respects to the aged queen and in view of the extraordinary crisis in international affairs and the prospect of patriotic war action by congress …”

“… the queen allowed the flag to be flown in honor of the government which years ago was responsible for her loss of a monarchy.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 3, 1917) (Reportedly, the American flag continued to fly over Washington Place.)

Lorrin Andrews delivered an oration on what the American flag represents, “There is a Flag floating over this building which symbolizes to all of us that which we hold most dear.”

“It was conceived in a struggle for liberty against oppression. It presided over the birth of the greatest republic that the world has ever seen, and it has always represented honor, freedom and justice.” (Hawaiian Gazette, April 24, 1917)

Liliʻuokalani continued to occupy Washington Place until her death later that year (November 11, 1917.)

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SS Aztec
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Aztec-torpedoed-1917
Declaration of War
Declaration of War
Declaration of War -Wilson Delivering War Message
Declaration of War -Wilson Delivering War Message
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Washington_Place_Honolulu_HI-1

Filed Under: Ali'i / Chiefs / Governance, Buildings, Military Tagged With: Liliuokalani, World War I, WWI, Aztec, Hawaii

April 6, 2014 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Selective Service

June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary’s throne, and his wife, Sophie, were visiting Sarajevo; Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated the couple.  A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia.

Within days, other countries got into the fray, including, Germany, Russia, France and United Kingdom; US President Woodrow Wilson announced the US would remain neutral.

Long before the US entered the war a number of men from Hawaiʻi had entered the Army and Navy.  The preparedness movement of 1915 and 1916 and the creation of Army units stimulated the enlistments.  When the US was actually in the war, the local interest increased.

“By a curious irony, the very first men who left Hawaiʻi for the battlefields of Europe were a couple of German reservists who sailed from Honolulu during the first week of August, 1914, but were captured by the British before they got across the Atlantic.”  (Kuykendall)

On April 6, 1917, two days after the US Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the US House of Representatives endorsed the decision by a vote of 373 to 50, and the US formally entered the First World War.

At the time, the US Army was comparatively small.  On May 18, 1917, the Selective Service Act was passed authorizing the President to increase temporarily the military establishment of the US. The Selective Service System was responsible for the process of selecting men for induction into the military service, from the initial registration to the actual delivery of men to military training camps.

It was a “supervised decentralization.” Folks in Washington were responsible for formulating policy; Governors of the 48 states, the District of Columbia and the territories of Alaska, Hawaiʻi and Puerto Rico managed the operation of drafting men for military service.

Local boards were established for each county or similar subdivision in each state, and for each 30,000 persons (approximately) in each city or county with a population over 30,000.

4,648 local draft boards were spread across the country; they were responsible for registering men, classifying them, taking into consideration needs for manpower in certain industries and in agriculture, as well as other deferments, determining the order in which registrants would be called, calling registrants and getting them to training centers.

There were three registrations. The first, on June 5, 1917, was for all men between the ages of 21 and 31. The second, on June 5, 1918, registered those who attained age 21 after June 5, 1917. (A supplemental registration was held on August 24, 1918, for those becoming 21 years old after June 5, 1918. This was included in the second registration.) The third registration was held on September 12, 1918, for men age 18 through 45. (archives-gov)

The operation of the Selective Service System in Hawaiʻi was different from its operation throughout the rest of the country.  First of all, Hawaiʻi was not required to furnish any men for the first draft in 1917.  For subsequent calls, Hawaiʻi adopted its own process.  (Kuykendall)

The order numbers for Hawaiʻi’s registrants were not determined by the drawings held in Washington, but by special drawings held in Honolulu.

For Hawaiʻi, President Wilson, on recommendation of Governor Pinkham, named July 31, 1917 as Registration Day, and on that day all men in the territory between the ages of 21 and 30, both inclusive, except members of the National Guard and those in regular service, were required to appear at their draft board.

In order to insure a complete registration, an extensive publicity campaign was carried on. The President’s proclamation was translated into Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Hawaiian and the three Filipino dialects of Visayan, Ilocano, and Tagalog.

At the close of the day it was found that 26,335 men had registered in the six districts of the territory. With the addition of late registrants (including National Guardsmen, who were not at first required to register) the number amounted to more than 27,000. (July 31, 1917)

The first number, 16, was drawn by Governor Pinkham shortly before 9 o’clock in the morning. This meant that the six men in Hawaiʻi having the serial number 16 would be the first called for service in this territory, unless they were exempted. The drawing was then continued by Boy Scouts in relays.  (For Hawaiʻi’s second call (July 31, 1918,) the number who registered was less than 2,500.)

Over twenty-four million American men registered for the draft for the First World War in 1917 and 1918.   (In 1918, the Supreme Court ruled that the World War I draft did not violate the United States Constitution in the Selective Draft Law Cases. The Court summarized the history of conscription in England and in colonial America, noting the Framers envisioned compulsory military service as a governmental power.)

Over 10,000 men and women from the Territory of Hawaiʻi served in “the Great War,” “The war to end all wars.”

OK, other than a slight modification in the selective service selection process, that’s pretty straight forward; was there any other quirk in the Hawaiʻi process?

Well, yes.

In reviewing World War I service records, one of the categories on the standard form is “Race: White or Colored”.  It seems that some Hawaiians who served in WWI were noted as “Hawaiian;” however, there are others who were identified as “White” on their service cards.

In reviewing some Hawaiian sounding surnames, such as Kaai – some of the men with last names Kaai were noted as “Hawaiian” on their service records, while others were labeled “White.”  (Check out the album images.)

A notable Hawaiian surname is Kahanamoku; however, Duke didn’t serve in the military in WWI (reportedly, he served training Red Cross volunteers in water lifesaving techniques and toured the nation with other American aquatic champions to raise funds for the Red Cross.)

But, Duke’s younger brother, David, did.  David’s WWI military service card notes his race as “White.” (Hawaiʻi State Archives.)  (Lots of information here from US Archives, Hawaiʻi Archives and Kuykendall.)

The image shows David Piʻikoi Kahanamoku’s military service record and his passport photo.  In addition, I have added other images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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Filed Under: Military Tagged With: Hawaii, Duke Kahanamoku, World War I, Selective Service

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