The story they told when I first heard the Henske version in the 1960s was that kids sang "Hooka Tooka.." to warn the neighborhod prostitutes that the cops wee coming. The singing, not the lyrics, was the warning; it just sounded like a kids' nonsense rhyme.
As to why kids wanted to warn the hookas that the cops were coming...I couldn't say. Other than a natural dislike for authority. I do not know if the story is true but it made a good intro to the song.