Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-22
HAWAII and RACE PROBLEMS

George w. Guthrie Uncle Sans new ambas
sador to Japan, is the kind OF a man and the kind
of public official that Honolulu delights to
honor -
lifelong member Of great national party
he has been of distinctly independent turn OF
mind as regards politics, being bound by no far
fetched doctrine of craftsmanship where his own
scruples were violated Willing to be worker
In the ranks, he has been always able to see
where the ranks were headed, and,if unworthily
led, he has not hesitated to say so. He is one Of
Pittsburg's foremost citizens and has been able
to maintain the respect even Of those he most
vigorously opposed in municipal politics.
Mr. Guthrie is a shrewd public official, and
since he was appointed TO his diplomatic post, he
has distinguished himself by discreet silence on
details that might, by unwise revelation, embar-
rass his country. There will be no repetition of
the Crane incident with Mr. Guthrie
AS the successor of Larz Anderson at Toxic,
Mr.. Guthrie should be successful and popular
representative of the American people at time
of unusual international tension. As the cross
roads between the Orient and the Occident, Ho-
nolulu appreciates the opportunity to entertain
the ambassador, if only for little while
Mr.. Guthrie will doubtless, at his new post,
hear and see good deal of jingosm, for there is
plenty Of it in Japan as well as in America, and
possibly there will be a good deal of misrepre-
sentation Of Hawaiis attitude Itmay therefore
properly. be emphasized here and now that Ha-
waii has no use for the yellow peril talk, and
that we of this territory feel confident of work,
ing out our race problems if the national admin
90
working out our industrial problems. BY the
crippling OF her great sugar industry, Hawaii
will be Immediately handicapped in the solution
Of the vital problems of race intermingIing and
progress for ALL European immigration, now
held up because of uncertain financial prospects,
will be stopped and Filipino immigration en-
couraged with the reduction in the returns from
sugar Former Governor Carter has said that
under free sugar Hawaii will be reduced to a
mere military outpost The Truth is that none
can tell just what disas er will befan us with
the blow at Hawaii's vital industry.
Hawaii's racial problems have been worked
out with remarkable success, in large measure
due to the fact that the Americans have assumed
the really tremendous burden of educating the
children Of aliens in the public schools of the ter
ritory. The school finances are now strained to
the utmost and they will be totally inadequate if
Hawaii's sugar industry is hard hit and the tax
returns fall off to the extent now indicated
Public work of all kinds must inevitably suffer
by the shrinkage of credits andsvalues. The IA
cilities that Hawaii has had in solving her race
questions must inevitably suffer
This territory has been aptly called the melt
ingpot of nations. Should the present tariff pol
icy of the administration be carried out the fires
will be drawn from under the pot. Self-preser7
vation will demand cheaper labor, less expend-
iture for education, for benevolence, for social
welfare, and particularly for the bringing-in of
immigrants eligible to citizenship under the
present laws
The future intercourse between Japan and
the United States should be as friendly as the
past. Hawaii is connecting-link and able to
speak from experience of The result of close social
and industrial relations between the two nations.
Under policy that guaranteed the people of this
territory stable industrial organization, there
has been friendship and progress. Such may not
be the case if that stable Industrial organization
is shattered
tue epipIT M TUE nIpEcT ppIuhRV