The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-05-10
PQRT0R|COlABOR.
.sITuATIONBETTER
Strike Leaders Claim twenty-five
Thousand Agricultural
, =5 Workers Out

SAN JUAN, r. r., April 6-Ahhough
much uneasiness regarding the labor
situation continues to exist in Porto
Rico very little interruption or delay
has 20 far been caused to the harvest.
ing and grinding Of the cane, and the
strike movement among the agricul-
turnl WORKERS seems TO hive made lit
tle headway after its first outbreak.
Leaders Claims Disputed
I, Santiago Iglesias, president of the
Free federation o. labor and repre-
sentative In Porto Rico o. the, Ameri
ran Federation OF labor. declared
his week that there we're $4,000 EN-
Moves of the sugar companies on
Hfike. hut his statement IL contradict
cd by Chief Of Police Stanton. who
says that reports from all sections Of
the island show approximately $500
man out. o.. - 'rNrv J..
The trouble has bnen confined, 50
far, entirely to the north eoast proper
ties. The largest sugar producing sec
.tion, which is ON the south side. has at
no time had any trouble The only
new eentrals. to be affected are Los
Canos and Gambalache, nj Areeibo.
Strikes developed thsre after the Easter
holidays. a.H, ae.r'o 80 &C..
\ Los Can0s was recently taken over
by A. Mitchell Palmer, Alien Property
Custodian. It is the only property in
Porto Rico to be so taken over, to date.
r. b. Childs, for many years. In charge
of the property, has been retained rs
president and general manager.
Requests For Investigation 1 =, -,
!. In view Of the fact that Los Canos
Ii now under government control, a
request has been, made TO the authori
ties at Washington for an investigation
of labor conditions and wages there. No
reply to the request has yet been re-
eeived. y ..,..- y .. -. -. y *
I, Neither, has any reply been received
to the cablegram sent to Samuel Com
pers, president Of the American Fede
ration Of Labor, requesting authorize
ton, of the calling Of o general agricul-
tural strike in Porto. Rico and asking
for financial support, ...,. -.
IN the meantime Governor Yager has
refused the demand of tbe executive
COMMITTEES Of the Free Federation OF
Labor FOR the calling Of a conference of
employers and employees 70 discusa con
ditions and prevent further strikes. The
demand was presented March 81. The
governor bases his refusal on the ground
that no general strike exists and, that
there Ia no evidence of q general strike
movement in the islands He advises
local conferences where dissatisfaction
exists. In reference to q further de-
mand for protection of the rights Of
free speech and assembly, the governor
SAYS in his letter to the committee:
As to your second request, can as
sure you that the Government will con
tinue TO protect the full rights OF both
Iaborefs and employers. The orderly
and peaceful assembling or cooperation
Of laborers for the purposes OF discuss
ing their grievances and lettering their
conditions will not be interfered with
by any officer of the Government: On
the other hand, the employment Of
force, intimidation, or menace, or any
form of coercion by any person or per
sons associating together, with the OBJ
ject of preventing others from freely
pursuing their emplOyments, viii be
promptly suppressed and punished. The
otectiOn Of the Government 10 for all
the people. No individual, class or
group can, be permitted to assume a
monopoly Of rights or to exercise. their
rights in such a way as to exclude the
rights of others, and above all else at
this time to exercise their rights in such
manner as to put in jeopardy the til
umph of liberty and humanity in the
mighty struggle in which we are all
engaged. .. RI, -, nv
The weather throughout Porto Rico
continues ideal for the harvest, with
tempe natures about normal and very
ing, little, and rainfall generally slight
" below normal.