The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-08-31
HEADSOF JAPANESE
NEWSPAPERS HOLD
conference TODAY
Program Outlined To Secure
Higher Wages For Plantation
/. Workers Not Going Smoothly
COMMITTEE MEMBERS DO +
NOT MAINTAIN INTEREST
Japanese Leaders Say Project
WIN Go Acknowledgements Say
Demand Not From Labor


day to further discuss the program for
securing wage increases for plantation
laborers in the Islands. 1t appears that
not all has gone smoothly with the pro
gram arranged by the conference of
Japanese newspapermen and business.
men. As a matter Of fact practically
no progress has been made. 1t appears
likely that another general conference
will be called and that there will be
required reorganization Of the com,
niittee named at the first conference TO
handle the proposals preached in. con.
ference. This win likely be considered
at length at the meeting today.
Not All Harmonious
1t was learned yesterday that at least
two Of the members of the committee
named at the conference are no longer
heartily in sympathy with the proposal
as to wage increases. 1t is said that
these two are the representative of the
chamber Of commerce and the represen.
tptive Of the Yokohama Specie Bank.
II is also said by--those prominent in
the movement that these two will prob.
ably be replaced on the committee by
others who are in full sympathy with
the project that has been undertaken.
7 At the conference held here it was
decided that committee which was
named at that time should present re,
quests and a statement of the reason
for such requests for higher wages to
plantation employees to the Sugar Plan
tiers Association. Before this was
done Royal ID. Mead sent an open let
ter to the japanese Press outlining
the situation as II appears to the plan,
tors. 1t may be that this put the mat
ter in a different light with the two
pembers' of the committee who are
said to have lost enthusiasm. Be it as
may be, when the committee met there
arose question of authority on APP
pointment Of sub committees, .Iaunnese
papers said, and no action followed the
NEE ing. Msa9Gmet the newspaper
heal were a&6s 6n a trip TO the Big
Island and now, Following their return,
they will confer mid further develop
ments may be expected to result.
Says Project viii Proceed
Fred Maxine, of the Hawaii Hochi
and a chief leader in the movement.
regrets that he was not here when the
committee met. !He says, however, the
program will go ahead. He also tells
of large and enthusiastic meeting
held in Hilo TO consider the wage prob
lem. Maxine looks for Developments
to follow today's meeting. a.
Does the request for higher wages
come from the plantation laborers
themselves or does il come from the
Japanese papers and the japanese mer.
chantsS Plantation agencies say that
so far as they have been able to
learn it comes from the news
papers aad the merchants. They say
there has been little or nothing heard
from the plantation workers. They
seem to b" satisfied and to understand
that they are Icing paid, including the
bonuses, more than is paid to similar
labor els"w here. They do not claim
to be suffering hardships because of
higher living costs. 1t is argued that
the laborrrs do buy less with higher
prices aud that the merchant thus
feel it and the movement is a concert
ed one to bring more business to the
japanese merchant rather than Occa-
Stoned by any deep and underlying in
terest in and sympathy for the work.
ers.
Monthly Payments Larger
1t is also pointed ont that the labor
ers are receiving a larger proportion
of the bonuses now each month than
formerly Before the United States
was in the war twenty per cent of the
bonus for the preceding month was
paid on pay day while now it is thir-
ty.thrrr per cent which gives an avail.
able income each month the equivalent
Of ten per cent wage increase for
that particular month. =.
An cdtoral in one of The Jana nese
papers said that tho matter of what
the companies will have TO pay in war
taxes was not a matter 10 be consid-
cred at this time but when the law
that will fix the taxes shall be passed.
The writer Of the editorial, one Of the
agencies points out, appears not to rec,
ognize that the taxes will be Maid
upon the earnings Of this year, not the
earnings after the bill becomes a law
but all that has been earned since De
cembcr 81 last and is a matter of much
moment to the companies and to the
stock holders at this time and ono
which docs enter seriously into the CON
siderntiun of the ftbor and wage ques
ton.
What the outcome will be remains
TO be seen hut thus far the advantage
In thp OntrOVpTsYr that WINS broupht
about by the meeting of the japan
ese ncwsPapermcn and business men
here, lies with the planters,