The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-15
WARNS WORKMEN
Efforts to Prevent Italians From
Coming to Hawaii.
SAN FRANCISCO LABOR COUNCIL
Sends Letters TO Italian Authorities
Protesting Against tho Plans Of
Hawaiian Planters.
SAN FRANCISCO LABOR COUNCIL

At meeting of the San Francisco
Labor Council July I, the follow
ing circular letter was adopted and the
secretary instructed to send copies
thereof to the Pope. the King OF Italy.
to the Radical members of the Italian
Parliament, to the leaders OF all Ital-
ian trades unions and to all news
papers published in Italy:
The San Francisco Labor Council.
the federation of the trades unions of
this city, learning in the press reports
that the Hawaiian planters had sue
ceeded in making arrangements with
the Italian Government which would
result in the emigration of from 10000
to $4,000 Italian laborers to work on
the sugar plantations of Hawaii. in
Structed me to warn the workers of
Italy against coming to Hawaii for
once in the islands they are slaves.
with no hope of escape.
For verification and explanation OF
this statement | ask you to read the
enclosed minutes of the Labor Council
of May 2S. 1897. At that time a cor
rupt public official of this State trIeu
to lure California workmen to- Hawaii.
The council then had the Hawaiian
contract labor laws with some COM
ments published, and not one workman
took advantage OF the offers of the
Hawaiian planters. | believe this will
be the result when tine Italian work
men learn what awaits them in those
accursed islands, where greed and
cruelty are more rampant than in any
other part of our So-called civilized
world.
Il further want TO state that when
the Hawaiian planters were seeking
annexation OF the islands to- the Unit
ed States of America and after the in
closed report was used in the United
States Congress as an argument
against annexation. the planters rep
resentatives promised the repeal OF the
contract labor laws. They lied. Those
laws are still in force. although the
flag OF the United States floats over
the islands.
"A recent decision of the Supreme
Court of Hawaii, given in the case of
two laborers who had run away from
their employers. had been captured and
then claimed that where the Stars and
Stripes floats no slavery can exist. ex-
plicitly states that the contract labor
laws of Hawaii are constitutional. both
under Hawaiian and American law.
Unfortunately that is true. In the de-
ciSion of the Supreme Court OF the
United States in the case of Robert
Robertson and others against Barry
Baldwin. rendered in 1895. against
four members OF the Sailors Union ot
the Pacific. who had run away from
a ship in an American port, had been
captured. and whose case was carried
by the union to the Supreme Court, the
Court held that contracts voluntarily
entered at no time of their duration
could become involuntary, and there
fore the Seamen could not claim the
protection of the thirteenth amend
ment to the Constitution, which pro-
hibits slavery and involuntary servi-
tude.
And so today the American flag
floats over territory where overSeerS
with whip in hand urge on the toilers
in the canefields to harder labor. Once
in Hawaii under contract to- labor.
there is no escape, as you readily see
by the inclosed report.
In conclusion ! want to- state that
the press reports some time ago gave
it that the Italian Government had
forbidden the wholesale emigration OF
subjects to Hawaii. Now the reports
state that the objection had been with
drawn and that the laborers would
come from Northern Italy exclusively.
Does the Italian Government want TO
get rid of its discontented workmen
who are becoming troublesome?
The promises Of the planters agents
are lies, lies, lies. Warn your coun-
trymen. Bring this at your earliest
opportunity to the knowledge OF radi-
cal members OF the Italian Parliament.
and inform the officials OF Italian
trades unions and reformers in gen
eral of this nefarlous plot. / am.
yours for humanity and freedom.
ED. ROSENBERG.
Recording and corresponding sscre-
tary San Francisco Labor Council.