The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-04-14
JAPANESE PAPERS :.
REVIVE QUESTION
Of HIGHER WAGES
Oriental Plantation Hands Urged
To Make Demand On Planters
For More Money
AME lCANIZATI0N MAKES
COST OF LIVING HIGHER
Large Profits On Sugar Due To
War Also Warrants Better
Pay, Say Editors

Another higher wage campaign is be-
ing agtatcd among several island Jap
anese newspapers. These papers are
the Hawaii ITochi of Honolulu, Of which
Fred X. Maxine is the reputed owner
and guiding spirit, the Maui Shimbun
of Wailuku, and the Shinsekai OF Hilo
This is the proper time to demand
of the sugar planters that the wages
Of our feIIow-countrymen who are Ia
bOrers on the plantations should be
raised,' declares, editOrially, the Ho-
chi in last night s edition.
Cost of Living Increases
1.-THE social standard and the cost of
living today among japanese laborers
Is quite different from what il was
several years ago, and yet they are
receiving now practically the same
wages as they were given then.
"The more the japanese are Ameri-
canized in Hawaii the greater their So
cial status and yet higher the cost Of
living for them. The planters patriot.
cally encourage their Japanese laborers
/ to become Americanized and yet they
do not raise their wages. The two do
| not go very well together
Cry Of Big Profits
1.-The Hawaiian planters and other
big capitalists are making large profits
on their investments today as the re-
suit of the European war. The sugar
market has improved very much and
conditions generally are most advant-
ageOus to them, yet the wages of the
Japanese plantation laborers remain
practically as they were several years
ago, when there was no war and sugar
was low.
| "Of course, the laborers are given a
| bonus, but this only comes once a year
and' it does not measure up to the
increased cost Of living and the great
rise in the price of sugar.
One Plantation In Line
1.-THE owners of the Puunene planta.
tion in Maui have decently raised the
wages of their laborers, but what about
the other plantations and what about
| their labOrers2
"This is, indeed, the time to ask for O
raise in wages. 1t is the right and
proper time; the psychological time
too.
of the laborers take the right stand
now we are quite sure that the plan
tiers will see the Justice of their claim
and willingly allow them q share II
their large profits.'
q Awolxi Gives Advica
s. Awoki, manager Of the local branch
Of the Yokohama Specie Bank, who il
looked upon as q leader in matters fnan
cial among local japanese, gives hi
opinion on the higher-wage movement
in the HOchi. He cautions the Japanes,
aborcrs in few but most emphatic
words:
"The same movement, brought NJ
some years ago, raised a racial gues
ton" says Hr Awoki. "As | under
stand it, Japanese laborers asked tn,
planters to raise their wages 10 CORE
spond to those paid the white laborers
Planters Are Reasonable
"The question today, I take it, i
merely from an economic and fnaneia
standpoint This being the case, if you
ask the planters in the proper manner
showing the justice of your cause,
am sure the planters will meet yo'
willingly in the matter. / guess tn
planters are full aware that the higI
cost Of living affects the Japanese tn
same as it does labOrers of other ma
tionalitics.
Whatever yOu do in the matter, NJ
advice to my fellowcOuntrymen is no
to become radical ana extreme in thei
exactions or demands. The proper en-
can be attained if the matter is take
up modestIy and in a gentlemanly man
nrr in your behalf. II there is discOr
tent, prove it and show 1t rightly"