The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-08-24
MUST NEARMOE CLOTHES
JAPANESE TOO TROPICAL FOR
HONOLULU.
Police Begin a Campaign Against the
Half Dressed Little Brown Men
Fourteen of Them Arrested.

An e1ict has gone forth that one of
the most noticeable tropical features
of life in Honolulu must be done away
with. The edict came from the high
sheriff and il is to have the effect of
forcing the unblushing Jap TO wear
enough clothes to meet the demands of
/ civilization. The first result was the
appearance in Judge WilcOx's court
this morning of IA Japanese, charged
with the crime of being common nui-
sances.
The Japs had all been arrested yes
terday afternoon and evening, while
they were following their time-honored
national custom Of promenading public
streets in flowing, wind-waved kimona,
garments which are much like the Am
ericRn nightgown.
The all-embracing kfmona is enough
clothes ito satisfy many of the Japs, but
Judge Wilcox told the prisoners this
morning that it was not enough to meet
! the demands of American law. 1t may
do for Japan, and 1t may have been all
right for Hawaii before the country be-
| gan to become Americanized, but If 1t
| is TO be worn hereafter it will have to
be with other clothes in addition. This
is the substance of the lecture which
| the district judge gave to each of the
fourteen defendants who appeared be-
| fore him this morning.
| Most of the prisoners were arrested
| on King street. The Japanese with no
| thing on but kimona has long been
a very familiar sight on the streets of
| Honolulu and there have been many
criticisms and statements that the one
/ garment was hardly enough for a civil
lied community.
] Judge Wilcox heartily agreed with
the view taken by the police, but at the
same time he had a thought that the
Japs were not the only offenders. His
honor intimated that he would like to
see some defendants from waikiki
! There were bathers. said the Judge
who insisted upon intruding upon pub
lie notice, on public streets, when they
were not as comprehensively attired as
the unfortunate Jap in Kimona
However, the Waikiki men are not
| before the court and you are" said his
honor, addressing the crowd of sloven-
! ly-looking defendants in court.
One man had just come to town from
a plantation and told the court that he
didn't know anything about American
law and was very much astonished tC
find that he hadn't enough clothes on
He bowed many times as he spoke ant
male last grand sweeping bow as h'
retired after putting up 81 and costs
The rest of the fourteen had variou:
fdefenses, most of them going into de-
tails regarding the clothes they had
worn. Not one was able to satisfy the
judge that the said clothes were enough
for an American city. Four were fineC
50 and costs. The other ten, who haC
not overstepped the bounds of reason
able propriety quite so far as the four
were reprimanded and discharged.
The police order to look for undresseC
Japs still holds. There is joy among
the clothiers, for the new rule mean!
that many Japs will have to buy gar
ments they have hitherto regarded a!
useless and superflous. On all the beat
the policemen have orders to gather il
anyone whose kimona doesn't appear t.
be enough clothing.