Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-30
HONOLULU PEOPLE
BADLY TREATED BY
ST. IMMIGRATION
George r. Carter Lodges Red
bot Protest in Open letter.
to Argonaut \


Sformer Governor George r. Carter
has lodged with the immigration de-
partment at San Francisco red-hot
protest against the treatment Of VII
helmina passengers by San Francis
co immigration official. I
His letter of protest was sent as an
open letter TO the San Francisco Argo-
maui and he has also sent a copy to
the Honolulu Chamber OF Commerce.
Here is the letter: -.
San Francisco, Oct 4, 1917. 1
AN Open Letter TO the Official In
charge Of the immigration Depart.
ment. San Francisco, California.
Dear Sir.
II knew your name would, OF
course, use It, Even without IL, permit
me TO advise you that was a passen.
ger on the steamer WiIhelmina, voy.
age 80. from Honolulu to this great
gateway of commerce. While in the
harbor, passing the immigration OF.
ficials in the salon, / heard one say,
I want you TO understand that this
Is San Francisco-not Hawaii His
voice sounded so like a little man
with big authority that | stopped to
observe the scene. H.. I'LL.
There were only three culprits left
standing before this wise judge-the
woman so gruffly addressed seemed
pd plexed--she had with her tour
clean, well dressed boys. 1t appears
that she was Portuguese whose hus.
band was dead and she had alone
brought up these fine looking boys.
The second was a Japanese youth
with permit to land in his posses.
sion, issued by your colleague, from
your department OF this Government,
In Honolulu. The third was a para.
lyzed seaman OF the very steamer we
were on, who, as the purser explained,
was stricken while at Honolulu, and
under the law the ship could not go
to sea without its quota of able sea-
men, SO this man was discharged
there and another engaged, and the
Marine Hospital service had taken
care of him and was sending him back
to the Hospital here--aIl three of
these were held up guilty Of trying to
enter this great city. Your subordl-
nate, instead Of meeting one case at a
time. yibrated between them like
lost dog. The seaman was then ask.
ed to explain his case, Were you ever
sick beforeT (Who has not been
sick?) He told his story with sim
piicity, still standing supported by a
cane and the Judge left him stand.
ing there and back he jumped to the
woman's case. Where were your
boys borng In Honolulu came the
answer. And after consultation your
representative appeared to conclude
that he would eventually send the
woman 10 the island, she being an
illiterate. The boys he said he could
do nothing with and they would prob
ably have to be set free in the city.
The woman's face was a study-whati
could she do thus separated? And !
where would her boys go? Leaving |
her TO ponder, the official turned to |
the. Japanese: When did you arrive in |
Hawaii? Answer. Five years ago.
Did you have a passport Yes. |
Where IL it?' In my trunk Get |
II. And the youth disappeared. Then |
turning to the seaman, more wise
questions are asked and finally 1t was
suggested, as the man tottered. that
he had better sit down.
1.-THE night before on that very car.
PEI 65 passengers had raised S1165.50
for the American Red Cross War |
Fund. and standing there, seemed to j
be bewildered. Was this. after all, an
American shipg Had we sailed from
an American port! Were we under
the American flag? And were we
American passengers? While thinking
thus. back came the Japanese with |
his passport. After your official had |
examined II, with hesitation he finally
asked the student to translate that |
portion printed in Japanese, which is
also reproduced in English and this he /
did quite readily.
may be pardoned tor my intru-
sion, but at this point could not help
saying to your appointee that Hawaii |
was q part OF the United States of |
America and our constitution pro-
vided that there can be nothing tol
prevent the free passage of people /
from one portion to another of our
great Union, nor can there be any
restriction OF commerce and that per.
haps q damage suit in the courts
would be necessary before the OF. /
=
ficials realized that we had consti.
tuition. Still amazed, left them, join.
ing my family already recognizing
friends on the wharf. NowI want to |
ask you II this is the treatment &C.
corded to passengers on steamers en-
terfng this port from Puget Sound or
Portland?
~Permit me to state that no matter
what reception you accord us, we Ha.
waiians are not uitlanders, and by
what right do you demand to know /
our age, date OF birth and where
born7 When Hawaii was annexed we
submitted to much in order to help
Uncle Sam adjust himself to our adop.