The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-29
FORMIDABLE:
EVA STRIKE
Entire japanese Force
Make Peremptory
Demands.

w III the OTes4h Oh ddy yeStSrOdJ
Manager Renton of Eva plantation
had a. strike on his hands involving
all japanese laborers on the estate.
numbering perhaps about 1900. The
mill was closed down, the laborers
spent the day in a general pow-Wow
with representatives Of the Japanese
Association sent from Honolulu, and by
evening had formulated their demands
upon the management, which call for
the discharge of the head luna; the
plantation police officer, Reed; the Por-
prefers. These representations were
conveyed to Manager Renton by Mr..
Ozawa, who spent the greater<part of
the day in a conference with the lead
ers of the strike.
On the 9:15 train a detachment of
six foot police, under command of
Captain Parker, was sent by High
Sheriff Brown to Eva to guard a.
gainst violence. The officers, who are
in field uniform, will remain at the
plantation until there is a settlement
OF the strike.
Shortly after midnight the leaders
of the strike gathered crowd and
started for the big camps where most
of the japanese were asleep. These
were aroused by cries of Wake up!
wake uDi'' and the matter was ex-
planned to them. Intimidation in some
Instances caused a general response to
the demands and by daybreak the
strike was in control Of the leaders
The laborers marched upon the mill
and with sticks of cane in their hands
ordered all the Japanese laborers out.
This request was complied with and
the mill became as silent as a tomb
during the day. One man who held
out was dubbed into submission. The
Japanese Buddhist temple at some dis
lance from the managers Office was
utilized as a conference hall.
Before daybreak a conference was
held by moonlight and it was decided
to send a representative I'D on the
early morning train to Honolulu to see
the heads of the Japanese Association.
This method brought Mr.. Ozawa and
Mr.. Ishikawa, E.. d. Tenney. president
of the Eva plantation company, and
a representative of the Japanese Con-
sulate TO the estate.
The crowd was orderly during the
day, but there was evidence that the
men had gone out on the strike in
earnest. They assembled in groups
at or near the Temple, seldom coming
to the vicinity of the office.
At 4:30 Mr.. Ozawa. and another rep
resentative of the Association left the
Temple and met Manager Renton and
Mr. Tenney at the Office, where the
Ny
ed about as above outlined.
It has been felt for some time that
a strike might occur on the big plan
tation, since the success of that which
took place at Waipahu a few weeks
ago,
Comment was made yesterday by
prominent Japanese relative to the
Association of which all Japanese la
borers in the islands are members. that
it was originally formed as an arbitra-
tive body, the officers to settle all
difficulties between employers and Ia
borers rather than that the laborers
take matters in their own hands. Since
then the laborers have used the Assoc
citation as a means to gain their ends,
but refer their difficulties to the exec
utive committee after they have gone
out on a strike.
The strike at Eva is serious in many
respects, as the mill have been entire
~ closed down, and cut cane is lying
in the cane cars deteriorating with ev-
cry days exposure.
The japanese claim that the Portu-
guese luna struck one of the laborers
as he was entering plantation car.
and put IN a grievance on this ac-
count.
AS a general thing Eva plantation
has been noted for its fairness toward
its employees. Manager Renton per-
sonally taking the initiative and car
rying this method down through all
his assistants.
1t is believed the strike viii shortly
be settled
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