Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-08-07
Promotion Committee and
Other Bodies Emphasize
Danger of Such Visits

Despite the concerteds efforts of
the Hawaii Promotion Committee,
/ Chamber Of Commerce, Y. NJ. c. A
and Y. w. c. A. to prevent mainland
[ Inns and people from advising en-
I pic yment seekers TO come to the Ha-
| waiian islands. many such seekers
slip through the gaps that have not
been walled up and find themselves
| in Honolulu tied up financially when
! they find no employment. and have
! difficulty n returning to the coast.
beca use of me present congested
steamship traffic.
The Promotion Committee. which
| hes been an active agent in spreading
publicity On the mainland that Ha-
wall is no paradise of ready jobs,
and which has sen; out circular let
tiers to transportation and tourist Of
| ficials and has made mention Of the
matter in its press news sheets. re-
ceived this morning letter from a
! young man who came here from the
mainland and now finds himself up
aga INST it." He suggests a certain
/ course of procedure to the Promotion
Committee, which. however, the Pro-
motion Committee has been following
, fer the past year or more: but his
letter is interesting, as is the expert
ence of many young men and women
who have come here under similar
ccnd:ti
This is another case of the dan.
ger of coming here on a shoestring'
without any definite arrangement for
employment" Secretary Taylor COM
merted this morning.
The letter follows:
Sir: have noticed one or two
items in the Honolulu papers regard
ing the question of people coming
here fer employment, and finding
meme.
1 fully realize that openings cannot
be manufactured to order, but 1t
would seem that something should be
done to stop the influx of young men
into the territory, where there is no
work after they get here. +
To take my own case: . came here
on August i. but up to present time
am unable to find any kind of an
opening. ......
I made inquiries at offices with Ha-
waiian connections in San Francisco,
and In two cases Il was told that
openings were plentiful anu one could
feel sure of a post but must come
here to get IL. -, - -2s@. ..-. J..
Well, i.ere / am, and having made
application to every business" house
on this island with absolutely, no sue.
cess. .+,> 'it - ..@a
Living expense hereis not low, and
money. even with care, dwindles
away The steamers leaving here are
full and man finds himself with not |
quite enough money! to 60 home to
the maini&ad with, and no employ |
ment in prospect ~ fI....f -.
You VIII realize, THAT >most men in
such ca Sc would return with very
bitter view of the islands and each is !
more liable to be a knocker than
booster. ,.~.., ~ r.. Il. -
/ was informed that office help on
the plantations was hard to keep, and
that a man whose services were sat !
isfsctory and who, would remain
would have no difficulty in finding |
an opening. find this also is appar-.
emily incorrect. ~.:...s..... -.
The whole fault is, that people in !
the mainland who should know better !
are giving erroneous land misleading 4,
advice to yrung fellows coming here. /
and this If may suggest it, is a |
point where you might prevent an !
influx of young men who are coming |
here and getting stranded.
This letter is not intended as !
criticism of conditions here but only j,
to point QUIT you one direction in |
which the troubles lie. |
asked a man the question: What !
becomes of decent young fellow
who comes here from the mainland, !
finds no opening, and runs short OF
finances-so short that he cannot re- !;
turn homer" / received no answer
@ust a smile. In all probability | /
shall be able to answer my own ques-
ton, unless an opening should pre-
sent itself and enable me to earn
enough to at least return to San
Franc SEQ. ~ ..~:
In my own case the experience is
liable to be very bitter, since ! have
wife in Oakland, who is, or was,
hoping to join me as socn as | got
located. 1t would appear to me that
the Promotion Committee should take /
some means of making public N San
Francisco the fact that work here is
not so plentiful as intending incomers
are led to believe. so they NAV be at
least warned before coming. For my.
self, I. can probably work out ny own
salyation-at least hope So
might mention that until July Is
! was for two years in charge of all
payrclls, storehouse material and &C. :
counts and correspondence for a big
company in California while their
plant was being BUTT and which is
now completed. Previous to this |