The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-12-27


Japanese were breaking all the rock
used for the breakwater.
Lyman said, in answer to Mr..
iKeefes questions, that he was a
laborer, and gave a statement of the
wages he received and the kind of
work lie performed. He added that
when citizens had applied for work
on the federal contracts, they had
been told that they must come down
to the Asiatic standard and work for
80 cents to 81 a day. The cost of
living in the Territory had increased,
said Lyman, from 81 to $3.50 a day,
and as proof of this he pointed to
the fact that the price paid for coun-
ty work had been increased in that
amount. 1t was true that on the
federal contract the citizen laborers
had been allowed as high as a dollar
a day for ten hours work, but they
few weeks, as it was a case of
seven or eight citizens in a gang of
20 to so Japanese. The employers
said that they had to employ non
citizens because there were no citi-
zens available, but the small pay was
the real reason.
Erickson said that he could in FIVE
or six hours get a hundred men right
in Hilo, provided $3.50 a day was paid
them.
"Why don't these men seek work
on the County roads?" asked Mr..
Keefe
&C.! he County has only little money
to spend" answered Erickson. There
are more men looking for work than
there are jobs to go around. When
the Japanese went on a strike, there
we're 5000 men who were willing
to go to work"
David Ewaliko explained that he
was a painter by trade, and gave
figures as to wages and costs of liv-
ing. There were about "a to 80 paint
ers in Hilo. Further questions were
asked, in the course of which it was
brought out that there were only a
few citizen carpenters here, and Mr.
Keefe asked why this was the case
Lyman explained that the carpenters
| had to go where there was work fol
them. Recently when there was con-
siderable building activity in Hilo
| Contractor Harrison had had to en-
ploy Australians, as the white car
penters formerly living here had tC
get out, when their places were taken
by cheaper labor.
Ewallko explained that the Union
WAS NOT opposed to immigration in
itself, but it did oppose the importa-
ton of Filipinos and Russians, who
were the worst people in the country
What was wanted was homebuilders
"You have seen in the papers what
think OF the Filipinos, have you
not?' asked Mr.. Keefe.
YES, We have" answered Ewaliko
And when you leave we will endorse
your statement"
I TMalil . added that the Union hat
offered to handle lumber here for 81
day Of eight hours, but that the
work had been given to Filipinos anc
Japanese instead.
Erickson referred to a statement
made early in the evening by Mr.
Keefe to the effect that there were
thou sands of people in San Francisco
who were out of work. He wanted
to know why these people did moi
come to Hawaii.
There must be some inducement,'
answered Mr.. Keefe.
But there is more money pei
capita here than there is anywhere
in the United States" argued Erick-
son.
Mr. Keefe explained that it was
question of wages.
Throughout the meeting the con-
versation was a very informal one
Mr.. Keefe asking and answering many
questions and showing a keen inter
est in what was told him. He en-
couraged his visitors to talk freely
and when they finally left they felt
much pleased with the attitude taken
by the Commissioner.
-o~S-