Editorials
Wednesday, April 8, 1998

Pro-task force rally
at state Capitol

THAT mass rally at the state Capitol in support of the recommendations of the Economic Revitalization Task Force demonstrated that the Democratic Party still has organizational clout with both business and labor. But Governor Cayetano's assessment that the rally showed the task force's message is getting through may be overoptimistic. The 3,000 or so who turned out may reflect a minority view. Our recent poll showed most respondents opposed to the most controversial of the task force's recommendations, an increase in the general excise tax.

Meanwhile the biggest and most powerful of the government employee unions, HGEA, is asking the Legislature to adopt the task force's original recommendation of an increase in the excise tax to 5.35 percent. Cayetano backed off weeks ago from that number, acknowledging the strong opposition, and the current proposed increase is to a more modest 4.5 percent.

The HGEA evidently realizes that the 4.5 percent increase, coupled with proposed reductions in personal and corporate income taxes, wouldn't spare its members from layoffs or other forms of cutbacks in state spending. But a hike to 5.35 percent seems less likely than no increase at all.

Union members can't be faulted for fighting to save their jobs. Neither can the operators of small business, who have vehemently opposed the excise tax increase because they view it as another burden for them to bear when many can barely survive.

Supporters of the task force recommendations paint them as the product of public-spirited, disinterested leaders of the business and labor communities. If adopted, however, the proposals would create both winners and losers. And the benefits expected for the community are far from certain. Well-conceived policies of the state government may tend to help the economy, but there are many factors beyond the state's control.

The result is the proposals are mired in controversy in the Legislature. Hence the demonstration Monday at the Capitol, aimed at putting pressure on the legislators to scrap competing programs and get on board. It may not work, because legislators are being subjected to competing pressure from opponents, including advocates for the poor as well as small business.

People seem to agree that the Legislature has to do something about the economy, but there appears to be no consensus on precisely what it should do. Our best advice at this point is: Don't expect miracles.

Fields of pipe dreams

ONE-UPMANSHIP is in full gear in Leeward Oahu, where Japanese baseball clubs are being lured to train at separate facilities planned by the city and state. Mayor Harris is charging forward with plans for a $20 million sports complex near Waipio-Gentry, even though Governor Cayetano will break ground in August for a $17 million complex at nearby Kapolei. If both are built, the area will be able to boast of 10 fields of dreams, enough to make even Kevin Costner giddy.

Cayetano has named Maui-born Wally Yonamine, a Japanese Baseball Hall of Famer who spent 38 years in Japan as a player, coach and manager, as his emissary to attract teams to the six diamonds and 4,000-seat stadium planned at Kapolei. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2000 on 55 acres next to the Kapolei Golf Course.

Harris earlier assigned former Kaiser High School and New York Mets star pitcher Sid Fernandez to pitch the city's four diamonds and 5,000-10,000-seat stadium to Japanese clubs.

Harris' choice of Fernandez may have been popular among Hawaii residents who followed his pro career, but El Sid indicated in a recent City Council hearing that he knows little about the game played in Japan. Yonamine's knowledge of Japanese baseball is enormous, and his name is a household word where it counts.

Senate President Norman Mizuguchi was the first to propose a sports complex for Kapolei with the idea of attracting Japanese major league clubs for preseason training. But even Mizuguchi may agree that his selling job may have been too successful. He is understandably concerned about the city and state sending Japan "mixed signals."

If both the governor and mayor get their way, Oahu will be stuck with two lavish sports complexes in virtually the same area with ridiculously overlapping purposes. The city should abandon its plans and instruct Fernandez to join Yonamine in encouraging Japanese clubs to play at Kapolei.

Japan's war record

IT has long been observed that the Japanese people generally do not feel guilt over their country's aggression in World War II. Much is made in Japan of the suffering caused by the U.S. bombing, particularly the nuclear bombing, that forced Japan's surrender, as if Japan was the victim, not the aggressor. There is a lingering belief that Japan was forced to make war and a tendency to gloss over Japanese atrocities. Subsequent generations have been taught little about Japan's real role in the war.

Now a film has been produced about Gen. Hideki Tojo, who led Japan as prime minister from 1941 to 1944. The movie is about Tojo's trial for war crimes and execution in 1948 and paints a sympathetic picture. The film studio, Toei, said it wanted to correct the perception that Tojo was a militaristic aggressor. In reality, the studio said, he was a peaceful man who took Japan to war in self defense. The actor who plays Tojo said one good thing Japan did was to liberate Asia from Western colonialism.

This is a familiar refrain that seems to have lost none of its allure for the Japanese despite its glaring falsehood. To this date Japan is hated and feared in Asian countries because of its record of brutality and oppression in World War II. But that doesn't seem to discourage Japan from perpetuating this myth.

---

Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership

Rupert E. Phillips, CEO

John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro, Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor