Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 1 January 1984 — U.S. MINISTER STEVENS HONED TO JINGOISM [ARTICLE]

U.S. MINISTER STEVENS HONED TO JINGOISM

Thomas B. Miles, Waimea, Hawaii

There is no doubt that the U.S. Minister John L. Stevens committed his country to an act of unlawful war on January 17, 1983 instead of following international protocol and defending Queen Liliuokalani against lawlessness that occurred. Annexation was more on his mind on that fateful day. Stevens" selection to the post of American Minister to Hawaii was not a willy-nilly appointment by any stretch of the imagination nor was his willingness to depioy U.S. troops on foreign soil. In Allen's book we find that James Blaine, then Secretary of State (1889) "was instrumental in having John L. Stevens replace Merrill as American Minister in Hawaii . . . Stevens had been envoy . . . and Minister to Paraguay and Uruguay in 1870-1874. There he had . . . called in American troops to settle an uprising in Paraguay." Recent takeovers like President Johnson's ordered invasion of the Dominican Republic in 1965 and President Reagan's invasion of Grenada shed some light to America's incursions, especially since restoration of loeal governments have been speedy in those cases but not in Hawaii. Somehow rightful atonement seems to have been avoided in equating the

affronts of Hawaiian overthrow. Perhaps a big reason for this neglect ean best be blamed on the incompleteness of Hawaiian history Ieading up to the overthrow. For instance, one of the strongest arguments against reparations is the contention that Stevens designed and directed the takeover as a personal accomplishment - and therefore did not bind his office. The NHSC" Majority Report (Vol. 1) of June 23, 1983 - mueh of whieh is also based on cunning - agrees with the bias depictions of Steven's involvement. However, most errors in the Majority Report with reference to the overthrow have been righted in a the NHSC Minority Report (Vol. 11). That report has earned a renewed effort by Congress to establish the hard truths of the overthrow. And in this writer's opinion. no matter what the soon forthcoming Federal research totals to - within such the pertinent deeds of the American Minister in January 1893 will be adjudged to have been official acts of the United States Government. And, if for no other reason than Unele Sam's insistence on equal treatment, restorative considerations for Hawaiians will result this time around. Right will prevail Thomas B. Miles