Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-01
DIR. Y. 5. CLARK
TALKS Of HAWAII
in THE OUTLOOK
Social, Industrial. Racial Con-
ditions Here Discussed
Striking Comments


DR. Victor S. Clark, former commits
sioner of immigration for the territory
and now associated with the Carnegie
Institution of Washington. has writ
ten in the July % number of The
Outlook a long article on Hawaii.
II deals with social and industrial
facts and some of his comments are
extremely interesting. He writes IN
part: !.
The Japanese and Race.
Towards this problem a repressive
policy is not desirable Undoubtedly
further labor immigration should be
discouraged, as more likely in the
long run to eomplicate than faclh-
tate the good relations of Japan and
the United States. 1t is common pru-
dence to keep sharp eye on all
alien nationalities settling in large
numbers at a point of such critical
Importance as Hawaii. But that couA-
try is destined by its location TO be
cosmopolitan. The very conditions
that make it important strategically
make 1t important commercially,
and the commerce of the Pacific will
bring together more intimately in the
future than in the past peaple OF diff
ferent races and civilizations. The
Japanese in Hawaii already recognize
that the territory affords living con
ditioIIs better than those OF their
own country; it is to our interest to
convince them that 1t also affords po-
litical advantages over Japan itself
However, the very possibility OF
adopting a liberal policy toward the
present alien population of Hawaii Is
conditioned upon our adopting po-
Icy corrective of present conditions
towards future immigration. And
here we approach the difficult ques-
ton of equating industrial and politi-
cal interests. Under the kingdom and
republic immigration was promoted In
order to secure cheap labor. During
the twelve years of American admin
istration this policy has been allowed
to continue. To this kind of imml.
grafton are due most of the purely
civic problems that now embarfass
us in Hawaii. Yet the ability of the
territory to attract future immigra'
ton, and thereby to modify so far as
NAV be the character of the poPula.
ton, is conditioned in no small de-
gree by the continued prosperity OF
the very industries that have been
erected upon imported labor. Were
the sugar plantations, for instance, to
be ruined by natural calamity or hos
tile legislation, 1t would not be tht
Asiatics but the Caucasians who
would withdraw in relatively largest
numbers from the islands.
To the writer it appears that there
is no opposition between the civic in
terests of the territory and the mill
tary interests of the nation; that Ha-
wall will attain maximum strategic
strength inhabited by a prosperous
population of self-governing American
citizens, raising food for themselves
and the island garrisons, and, in case
of need, rendering actual military aid
in defense of the country. Under the
dominance of one or two staple in
dustries Hawaii now imports much of
its provisions, and its landless labor
ers do not impress one as likely Amer.
lean soldiers. However, successful
policy must be constructive, and can
not be erected on the ruin of existing
industries. While the present restric-
ton on the immigration of Chinese,
Japanese and Koreans should continue
and it is of doubtful adyisability to
load up the territory with Filipinos-
who lower social and civic standards
and lessen strategic strength by dis.
placing better people-it should be
made as easy as possible for some
Years to come to assist immigration
from Europe Hawaii should be ex-
empted from any provisions as to lit.
eracy that may be imposed upon i'm
to the mainland, because at
present it draws its best settlers and
laborers. from the rural districts of
countries where there are few school
1t may seem contradict
ory to set a low immigration standard
in order to strengthen democratic
government, but the territory brings
only families from Europe, not tran.
sient single laborers. and experience
shows that the children are mere i'm
portant than the parents as material
citizens. Large immigrant families
In Hawaii more permanently
than unmarried men and childless
families, who speed away to California
to seek adventure and see the world
There are good public schools. with
compulsory attendance: and practical.
lv all young people who have passed
their childhood in Hawaii can read
and write Among the younger i'm
migrants the American leaven works
as actively as-=HUnn the mainland.
Roth Latins and Slavs have high
and their children. bred IN
the sunshine and sea breezes of Ha.
waits cDen-air climate afford better
material for nation-building than the
descendants of industrial workers in
crowded eastern cities.