Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-08
Preponderance of 0FientaiS IS
Pointed Out As a Very
Strange Social Problem

(The following article from the per
OF George HamIiu Fitch, recent Wis
itor 70 Hawaii who 10 a keen observes
and fluent writer, occupies an entire
pace in the San Francisco Chronicle
Of July 20, illustrated with repro
ductions Of fine photographs by r. w
Perkins Of Honolulu. Mr.. Fitch has
earned worldwide reputation in the
literary field from hLs position as 1T
erary editor Of the Chronicle and
through his personal literary efforts
Comfort Found IN Gocd Old Books
and fhe Critic Series of Travel in the
orIert and oceident.")
Even good descriptive writer may
well shrink from attempting TO give
a picture of Honolulu and the Hawa.
iian Islands The city and the islands
diner radically from the Orient. be-
cause here the early missionaries from
Boston put the American stamp on
everything and the trade winds trans
form what would be intolerable humid
heat into an earthly paradise for those
who do net feel partial to hard La
Dor. In a word, tie Hawaiian Islands
are a lotus eaters land, where it is
always afternoon and where the call
to strenuous work is seldom heard.
TSey are an ideal place for q vacation,
especially in the winter months, when
ice and snow hold fast most of the
United States Even to Californian
the climate Is singularly equable. as
the mercury seldom drops lower than
IS degrees and In midsummer ii rare
~ climbs above 50 degrees. To one
used to a harsher climate, this equa-
BILE temperature, with its soft
balmy winds, seems very en-
ervating. Walking in the mid.
die Of the day produces profuse
perspiration and energy is much re-
Taxed. II is positive effort to walk
more than block or two, and mental
work is not pleasant After one is ac-
climated, however, the blood becomes
thinner, and, old residents of Honolulu
declare that they can do nearly as
much work as on the mainland.
A Swarm Of orientals.
Thoroughly Americanized as they
are, these islands present variety Of
races that make their future a prob
lem for any thoughtful observer. While
the Hawaiians are rapidly dying race
the japanese have leaped into the
foremost place in numbers and have
seized all the small manufactures and
petty trades and industries that were
once controlled by the natives, With
thousands of Chinese, these two races
have orientslized many quarters of
Honolulu. while they give peculiar
stamp to many of the small towns
throughout the islands. Together they
form 60 per cent of the population.
These 0rientals retain their native
dress and customs far more than they
DO In California. In fact, In passing
through many OF the villages on the
biz sugar and pineapple plantations,
the visitor is reminded OF the country
towns. In Japan.
II Is the exception in Hawaii when
one today meets a native Hawaiian Of
pure blood. The best cross is that be-
tween the Hawaiian and the Chinese,
lhe Oriental blood giving that business
ability which the native lacks. Next
10 this comes the Japanese and Haw-
allan, q blend that produces many
beautiful girls. The energy of the
white man Is greatly impaired by
union with the Hawaiian. With this
blending OF races is a complete break
ine down OF the usual racial lines. In
California the Japanese have no social
standing, and white girl who marries
Japanese Is ostracized In Hawaifa
the Japanese and Chinese when cross.
Cd with the Hawaiian has as good a
social position as the whites.
No Racial Prejudices.
This extraordinary cOsm0po. itan-
iem was shown very clearly at an en-
lerfainment given in Honolulu the
night before sailed for home. II was
4 variety performance for the benefit
~ charity. held on the roof garden OF
TIE Alexander Young Hotel, and all
Honolulu society was out in force.
nor an hour in the hotel lobby
watched the well dressed
crowd going up In the ele-
rafor. Girls of great beauty with COM
nlexions like rare porcelain had the
slant eyes of the Monaghan; others
had almond eyes and the dusky skin OF
their mothers: others were dark as
southern negroes. with thick bps and
bold rugged textures representatives
~ the native race which is fast disap-
nearing. And all these people of var
1ous races mingled in perfect amity
and good will
Only the Negro Not Represented
IN reading the Honolulu newspapers /
one finds in almost every issue reports
81 social events in which the lists OF
guests include Chinese. japanese, and |
hawaiian names There is no discri-
mInafion IN regard to color or national
ify. save that the negro is not repre-
sented. The Orientals who swarmed
into the ISLANDS until they were ex-l
cluded by special laws. have adopted !,
many American customs but they nave
retained far more of their native life
than their countrymen in California
one OF the prettiest sights in Honolu-
IN IL that of clear-skinned. glossy
haired Japanese woman dressed In full
native garb. with the brilliantly col
-r;ed ohi AZ the back. which shows that
40 is a married woman Next may i
mass a dainty Chinese girl IN
mum or salmon colored silk