The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-08-06
Two Hundred and Fifty Japanese
Walk Out and Work of Com
.spany Is Seriously Hampered
BlGN RAISE IN PAY IS
DEMANDED BY STRIKERS
Are Members Of New Labor Union
Quietly Organized; Work Of
Loading Vessel Delayed

and yesterday when $50 Japanese sec.
ton men and freight handlers, all mem.
bers Of new and secretly organized
union, walked out.
The men quit work, they say, because
Of the refusal of the railroad company
last Friday to grant them a thirty per.
cent increase in wages, demand for
which was made some time ago. 20
The strike interfered with the load
ing Of a government vessel lying at
the dock, with the result that the facts
were laid before army authorities and
unless the men return to work, il Is
possible that action, will be taken by
those authorities on the ground that the
handling of government business is
being interfered with.
Delay of the cargo work ON the gov
ernment vessel was made possible
through the refusal of some Of the
Hawaiian members Of the stevedores
union to work on freight intended for
the ship, because of their professed
sympathy with the striking japanese
freight handlers.
situation Uncertain
a The seriousness OF otherwise of the
situation will develop today when it
is definitely determined whether or not
the section hands stick to the announ.
ced intention of not returning to work,
Hope Yves expressed last night that
they would be on the job today, their
lunas having promised after confer
ence yesterday afternoon that they
would urge their men to return to work
h., A small gang of Hawaiians was Sc
cured Saturday night partly to continue
the work of loading the ship, and yes
terday, almost full gang, made uI
OF transient labor recruited from al
races about the city, was employed in
getting the vessels cargo aboard.
The most, serious feature of the strike
Is the threat of the section men not
to &c. to work today. They are skilled
to some extent and will not be sc
easily and quickly replaced as were the
freight handlers on the railroad
wharves. Since the section mer
worked up until Saturday after deliver
ing their final strike ultimatum on Fri
day, and as yesterday was Sunday, II
was not certain last night whether they
would walk out today OF not.
/ At. q conference held late yesterday
evening Of the section bosses and Fl
N Dennison, superintendent of the rail
road company, the lunas promised t.
return to their different divisions ant
| get as many of the men to go to worl
as possible: 1t remains to be seen thi
morning whether the section bosses will
keep their promise to the superinten
| dent, and If they do so if they will b.
| able TO, induce the strikers to 60 t.
| work.
The strike of the railroad men come
y in the midst of the busy pineappl
\ season, said to be one of the busiPs
/ the railroad has ever had to handl
because Of the quickness with whicI
the fruit ripened this year.
Labor Shortage RmbarrasseS
| Difficulty of the railroad cOmpan
also is greatly increased through tn
general shortage of labor and the los
Of thirty nine men of the operating dc
partment through the draft and tn
Ecalling out of National Guard Beside
Ethis loss six other men have been los
from Office and executive positions.
[ While no violence is anticipated frOr
the striking section men, the walkin
out of these men is not without mel
ace as they are the track caretaker
upon whom depends the safety of a
travel over the railroad. They cannC
be quickly removed and other men pu
in their positions, which it is the il
tention of the railroad company to DC
If they do not Immediately 90 to wOrl
it is said.
Government aid will be called fC
also, it is asserted, if the strikers 81
riOusIy tie up the movement of foo
Estnffs at this time, something of while
i the government will take prompt COZ
Enizance.
i 1t is generally rumOred that job
Wise, Honolulu politician, who recent
went to Seattle and San Francisco G
! la mission for the stevedoring union {
this city, is the one who has so quick
organized the japanese railroad worI
ers that it was unknown they had
lunion until last week. The presidel
of the union is X. Iwashita,, one of IL
laborers on the railroad wharves, a fa
; which leads color to the con lecture TIL
II the brains behind the movement HI
not appeared in the submitting of Il
lstrikers demands. All the demands al
conferences with the strikers have bee
, with the gang bosses and one commi
Itee of the men.
. Pooias Refuse To Work
From all that is known, the ne
, union beemS to be a separate organiz
! ton from any other such in HOnoluI
,, although apparently recognized by &
stevedoring union, as shown through {
refusal of some of the Hawaiian pool
to work ON cargo intended for the 90
eminent ship last Saturday night. On
Japanese seem to be represented in t
organization, as no objection was ma
Eby shop workers and others to helpil
ksGcure labor to take the places of t
strikers when called upon to 40 so
!the superintendent.
Although evidently separate :
7 tgaDiaatiOn there is evidence that
formation and demands are known
J Japanese workers of other IlonoIu
s establishments, who are watching VIII
. lit ~ feared might develop into a seri
r iOf Japanese laborers strikes if this o
lie succ easful. An indication of this