"Wallace Rider Farrington" by Thorton Sherburne Hardy.
Honolulu, HI Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Ltd., 1935
Page 167
In fact, this regard for maintaining intact the dignity of his office grew to be one of his sensitive spots. The Governor came first, high ranking officers of the Army and Navy below him. The underlying principle was that civil authority in American government always took precedence over military authority. In 1923, he found it necessary to call this matter to the attention of the Secretary of the Interior:
Major General Summerall has received notification from the War Department that he takes precedence over Rear Admiral McDonald. Rear Admiral McDonald has received notification from the Navy Department that he takes precedence over General Summerall... Up to the time this question of precedence arose, condition were ideal. It is obvious that, if the two Departments are unable to reach an understanding, the solution is an order from the Commander-in-Chief.The Governor is, of course, the ranking officer of the Territory. Under a provision of the Organic act, the Governor of the Territory occupies a position, in case of emergency, that is not duplicated in any other place under the Flag: namely, he is Commander-in-Chief of the forces of the Army and Navy until the President can be communicated with. This authority has never been used, and I hope never will be.
Whether the Navy outranked the Army or vice versa was immaterial to Farrington; what he wished to lay down in black and white was that the Governor of Hawaii outranked them both. Secretary Brown reported that the question of precedence so irked the Admiral that he had absented himself that year from the Armistice Day celebration. "very noticeably." As a practicable meeting ground, Farrington had suggested to the Secretary of the Interior that the officer first to arrive in the Territory should be the ranking officer. But the time came when Farrington as Governor had o entertain both the General and the Rear Admiral at the same dinner table. Neither would sit down with the other, unless he were given his rightful place. The Governor's military aide had charge of the seating arrangements, and his information was that the War Department and the Navy Department were still at odds. He cabled his perplexities to Washington and back came a ruling by the Supreme Court that, as between officers of corresponding rank, the date on which one or the other had received his permanent commission determined his seniority and settled the question. The official cable was shown before the dinner to both the Admiral and the General and they sat down to table in perfect peace.
One other more serious point of friction with the Army disturbed Farrington almost without respite. In principle, all public lands in the care and possession of the Republic of Hawaii had been unconditionally ceded to the United States. Several times different Attorneys General of Hawaii have held that, strictly construing the law, the Territory does not own even Iolani Palace in which its Legislature sits. But in practice the Federal Government had made it a rule to allow the Territory of Hawaii to lease and manage its own lands. A very considerable and growing revenue derives from such rentals. Land sometimes ceded to the Army by some individual Governor at the request of some particular Commanding Officer would lie idle for years under the succeeding Commanding Officer, and then pass by exchange to private ownership, forever out of Territorial control. Numerous instances of such valuable transfers came under the Governor's notice. In 1927, he declared himself, in offensively but none the less resolutely, in behalf of the civil government:
My disposition is to carry out a liberal policy in the transfers of public land to Federal Departments. I do believe, however, that the Territory is entitle to a reciprocal attitude on the part of other. Federal Departments and I found this to prevail with other Departments--except the War Department and the Navy Department.My general policy is to retain possession of all the land that may be used for public purposes, so that the title shall not pass to private interests, then have to be condemned. I believe that the Territory is entitled to the same consideration from Departments other than that under which the Territory is administered.2Look about you and find, if you can, where selfishness, great greedy selfishness, has ever added a moment of happiness to man's life, gained a blessing from a grateful heart, or left a single record to which man, woman or child has ever turned with pride--Decoration Day Speech, 1922, Delivered at Schofield Barracks by Farrington.
Note
Intersting reading.
Replies
This was an interesting piece to read but not what I was looking for. This generally puts the argument bact to 1927, and 1922--all of which happened after 1917. I do not believe that 'Liliu' had anything to do with the military and it's dealings with Kuhio. But what do you think? I still say it is a breach of trust....
And the Kuhio's are going in a round about way and building a relationship with the military. I have tunnel vision right now over the DU and the deadline which is Sept.