The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-12-09
Present the Commissioner With
Their Objections Against the
immigration Law.
KEEFE TALKS TO RUSSIANS
interviews Departing LabOrerS
and Hear KiCkS-WilI Prove
Filipino Question.
From wednesday,s Adyertiser.) }

From Wednesdays Adyertiser)
Yesterday. Commissioner General
Keefe, of the immigration bureau, had
presented to him the union labor side
of the Hawaiian labor problem, in a
memorial handed over and explained at
a meeting Of the local Federated Trades
Council called especially for the pur-
pose.
Commissioner Keefe was present at
the meeting and discussed the various
complaints that had come to his depart
ment in connection with assisted immi-
grafton in Hawaii, the majority of the
complaints having originated in Homo
lulu, although presented to the depart
ment, in most instances, by the main
land labor leaders.
Mr.. Keefe stated last evening that
the memorial dealt with the question of
insisted immigration as it is viewed
from the labor standpoint He stated
that the labor organization here is not
in accord with the immigration policy
of the territorial government, or att
least with the manner in which the law
is interpreted. The memorial embodies
set of resolutions which the commits.
sioner will set forth in his report to
the department of the interior at Wash
ingtOn
1t has been felt, ever since it was
announced that Mr.. Keefe intended
coming here, tnat the labor organiza
ton would make some representations
to him regarding Russian immigration
particularly, some elements of the labor
branches here having taken sides with
the Russians in opposition to the efforts
of the planters to get the Russians to
work on the sugar estates. 1t is gen
orally known that they assisted them
in forwarding complaints to Wash
ington. They also assisted in get
ting the New York Russians to take
up the cause of their countrymen here
by sending memorials to the bureau of
immigration These memorials and 9TH
er communications, complaints, and the
possibility that the door of Hawaii was
being allowed to swing too wide open
for the admittance of Aliens is the
principal cause of Mr. Keefe IS visit.
Russians and Wages.
Commissioner Keefe spent some time
at the immigration station yesterday
with Inspectorin. Charge Raymond O..
Brown. He stated last evening that
there are number of Russians leaving
Honolulu on the Wilhelmina today for
San Francisco. He found them at the
immigration station and they were just
the men he wanted to talk to. He made
number of inquiries of them, asking
them in what manner they had been
approached in Russia by agents of the
territorial board of immigration, what
representations or inducements had
been made to them to leave their coun,
try and come to Hawaii, what wages
were offered them to come here, and
what prospects for future advancement
had been promised. He was particu.
larly desirous of knowing just why they
left Manchuria for Hawaii, and his
questions and the answers were taken
down by stenographer and these will
form a part of his report
Mr.. Keefe stated that the Russians
said the conditions in Hawaii were not
as they expected them. They were not
satisfactory, and they alleged that they
did not receive sufficient wages to keep
them and their families. They alleged
that the work was not what they ex-
pected; the wages were not what they
were led to expect; the prices for food
were too high and there were many
other protests along similar lines.
Therefore, they had decided to leave
the country and 60 to California. They
had received money from their home
country, some said, and with this and
money they had scraped together, they
had bought tickets for San Francisco
and would have just about enough
money TO pay the head tax when they
arrived there.
"But they won't get any work M
there, said the commissioner. "l
don't see any chance for them. l told
them so, for there is a lack of work
there Just now But that will not pre-
vent them from going"
II IS this class Of people to which
Mr.. Keefe says he refers when he
states that under exactly the same cir
cunstances as they first arrived here
they would not be permitted TO LAND
AT original ports Of entry on the main
land. While certain qualifications wer,
waived here they would not be waive,
on the mainland, but having been ad
mitted here, and armed with their Ger
tihGates, they can now land anywher
IN the United States they wish 10,
The Filipino Problem.
Mr.. Keefe has not yet tackled IN
Filipino problem. This viii be- ap
preached in due time, hut AZ pTesen
he IN getting general view of the sit
uation, and yesterday took up tho Rus
sian matter because Au 0ppOrunit'
presented itself 20 ascertain from dc
parting Russians iust what ave thei
reasons for going 10 lhe ooast'