The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-06-26
RIVER MIL HAS
BB Army WORK

Continued from page six.)
however, that under local conditions, 1t
would be an entirely proper thing to
restrict Federal Government work to-
citizens, and those who have declared
their intention to become naturalised,
subject to the condition that the govern.
'ment should in its discretion, IN times
of emergency, be permitted to use am
labor available. YES
possible that the Secretary OF
War might, under certain circumstances.
extend the discretion lodged in him, UNI.
der which aliens are not permitted to-
work upon Notifications, TO include 9th.
or government work, on the broad
ground of public policy. That, how,
ever, is entirely with him, and ] cannot
even suggest what he might do in this
connection. t4 F,sttrt.
Act Of Congress Certain Method.
nTho unqgestionabie method by
which government contracts can be re.
strieted TO citizens, is by congressional
act. Ntri
4 50 As / understand it, there Is no con.
stitutional objection TO law restrict
ing oflgovernment contracts to citizens
I Pierre is already a law OF congress
nnder which, except in cases Of emer.
gency or Necessity, domestic manufac.
tured goods shall be given the prefer;
ence by the war department, over goods
Of foreign manufacture know OF, no
reason why compress should not extend
such q law, at least in so far as Ha-
waii y concerned, to labor as well as
material. t1gI
THAT is a matter outside of my
jurisdiction, however, and one which
the people Of Hawaii should take up
direct with congress, IL they choose to
do so. nh fiAst hys
Prompt Action Required.
''If any aetion is to be taken, how.
ever, II should be taken promptly, as
there will probably be about ~ million
dollars to be spent on construction work
during the next year, and if the money
is available, tepders involving the
whole amOiint will probably be called
for during next month, OF soon after.
,S"I do not think that the government
would suffer if such an amendment to
the law were passed.
I "To speak frankly, when the army
FIRST began work here a few
years since, there did not appear to be
free competition among the contractors
and, in self defense, the government
began doing the work itself. We have
been keeping careful cost statistics ever
since until we know exactly what ey-
cry item should cost. ,s N ~
"We have employed all kinds Of me
chanies and laborers- Americans, Port
ugpese, Russians, Hawaiians, japanese,
Cinnamon ~ AL kinds; and within
week after o man begins work we know
exactly what he is worth aud be is paid
accordingly,
High Priced Mechanics Are Cheapest.
TINY observation is that the high
priced white mechanic is the cheapest
in the end, both by reason of quality
Of his work, as well as the fact that he
does more work in ia given time than
the other Municipalities, 8" h
eve figure against contract, ex-
actly as though we were contractors,
so that we know very closely what II
ought to cost, We are willing to allow
a fair profit to a 6, otractor, as no man
ought to be required. to work for moth
ing, and we prefer to have work done
ny COHptutb pcNhupS ~ IoilCNco 10 VI |
great deal of responsibility and detail
If there Is d responsible contractor
the work and we are simply
it's sAH ~
Goyernment Would Not Suffer. !
"WithetRe knowledge which we now
have iof cost, and the somewhat differ |
emit spirit among the local contractors
than Fformarly 'existed here 4 do not |
think the government would suffer II
contract work was restricted to citi
zens, subject ID the emergency eondi,
tions above referred to.
~ will be glad to furnish any in
or citations of authorities in
this matter; but I would like Il deRn-
itely understood that the withholding
Of contracts from aliens Is not within |
my power. If the people of Hawaii
want the ruling or the law changed,
they nnst2go td'Whshington for il.
This year in Napa county, California,