Military doesn’t qualify
to be considered ‘industry’

All responsible and accredited dictionaries conclude that the word "industry" is a profit-generating activity producing goods and services. However, A.A. Smyser (Jan. 2, "Reasons for concern on Hawaii's future") and the Chamber Pot of Commerce consider the military to be an industry.

What an asinine stretch that is, for the military in total is debt plus interest.

Dick Hedlund

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Kansas City is impressive
in its treatment of tourists

As a kamaaina recently returned from a first-time trip to Kansas City, Mo., coming home was an ambivalent experience.

We felt and experienced the Midwestern hospitality and sense of community pride and respect everywhere we went.

People were friendly, polite and helpful everywhere - from the gas station attendant in the boonies to the sales clerks in big and small stores. They were all sincerely happy for our business and glad to see us.

We found clean, sparkling, well-maintained rest rooms at every stop. Throughout the state, public parks, highways and median strips were manicured and beautifully landscaped. There was no graffiti.

If Hawaii is to compete as a successful tourist destination as well as a wonderful place to live, we cannot be complacent.

Our government and business leaders must speak out and set standards of excellence of attitude and maintenance of public and private areas. We cannot sit on the laurels of our "aloha spirit" and natural God-given Hawaiian beauty to keep our reputation as a desirable place to live and visit.

If the Midwest can roll out the red carpet of hospitality and community pride for their own citizens and visitors alike, then we in Hawaii surely can and must, too.

D. Diane Ackerson

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Historic weapon should be
registered for posterity

The crud-encrusted gun in the background of Joan Conrow's front-page Midway Island photo (Jan. 6) has historical significance.

The gun is a Navy five-inch gun taken from storage and emplaced on Midway by the 6th Marine Defense Battalion, Lt. Col. Harold D. Shannon commanding, in time for the epic battle fought against the Japanese forces from June 4-6, 1942.

This weapon could hurl a 50-pound projectile to a maximum range of 17,100 yards (9.71 miles) and was employed to drive off potential invaders to the island.

As is now well known, the Battle of Midway relieved the pressures on the defenders of Oahu, was the first major defeat of Japanese naval forces in World War II, and turned the tide in the Pacific war in favor of the Allied forces.

If not already listed, this gun - and similar artifacts on the island - should be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Our Midway defenders and national heritage deserve no less.

William H. Dorrance
Kailua

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There is no hidden agenda
to Waikiki redevelopment

Passage of amendments to the Waikiki Special Design District legislation provides a good road map for the long overdue renewal of Waikiki, Hawaii's primary tourism destination.

These amendments are well-crafted and forward-thinking. They provide the impetus for hotel owners to remodel and replace aging properties and, in doing so, improve our visitor product, restore open space and instill a greater "sense of place" to Waikiki.

Contrary to some thinking, there is no hidden agenda behind these amendments. They are not a precursor to gambling, as some have suggested.

Far from it. In fact, while the Hawaii Hotel Association has strongly supported these amendments, we have opposed legalized gambling in Hawaii. Each of these issues needs to be evaluated separately, and those who try to link them appear to be trying to confuse the issues and the public.

We applaud the passage of this important legislation.

Murray Towill
President
Hawaii Hotel Association

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