The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-04-12
Chamber Of Commerce
Worried Over y
New Permit System
Message Sent TO Mcclellan TO
Find Out Whether Or Not Trav-
cling For Pleasure 10 Under
Washington's Ban .5s, : h''| %.

"do'hsBtOH , pdilg ycltft 49, e.,
whether tourist business TO the TIa
waiian Islands win be affected by the
new }" permit system required by the
United States TREASURY department,
caused considerable concern at the
meeting Of the board Of directors CT
the chamber Of commerce yesterday
afternoon, resulting in telegram be
ing authorized which was forwarded
last night to George Mex. MeClsIlan,
the chambers washing ton representa-
tive, whether travelling for pleaspra is
under the ban, and whether, to facii
tate travel, travellers cannot make ap
plicatIons FOR permits to any collector
Of customs and secure the same from
the collector in San Francisco,
J. H. Drew, manager of the shipping
department Of Castle & Cooke, an
bounced ut the meeting that in yester.
day 3 mail he had received notification
from the Matson Office in San Fran.
cisco that Washington had informed
the collector Of customs at San Fran
cisco that there would be no need for
state department passports for citizen
travellers en- fopte to Hawaii, but that
! it would be necessary for every person
going to Hawaii to have a permit from
the treasury department, obtained
through the collector Of customs before
a ticket could be sold by a steamship
company.
Must Give Reasons
He said that the instructions were
also that the intending traveller would
have to give his reason for travelling.
and that the collector must satisfy him
self as TO the character, personality anu
nationality, after which he was priv
legged TO wire to Washington to obtain
the proper authorization to issue such
permit.
Mr.. Drew said copy Of these in.
structions was sent to the Matson Office
in San Francisco by the collector there.
The Matson company attorneys imme
diately took up the matter with Mr..
Sweet of the state department in Wash
lngton, calling attention to the fact
that Hawaii was q territory of the Unit
ed States, although n-contiguous, add
Ing that the permit requirement would
create considerable Inconvenience, and
asked If the instructions could not be
Withdrawn.
A reply was received informing the
company that it was governmental
measure and could not be withdrawn;
consequently the steamship companies
operating from the coast to Honolulu
/ 40 not now sell tickets unless Il permit
is produced.
Is Working Smoothly
Mr.. Drew said, however, that the re-
quirement was working out smoothly
and instanced the case Of a man already
booked at the Matson Office in San
Francisco. He was notified what he
had to do. On Saturday morning he
personally appeared before the collector
and answered questions. His request
for a permit was wired to Washington
and on Monday was received by the
would be traveller, who was enabled to
sail the following day for Honolulu.
The questions put were such as 81 Are
YOU and American citizenH', Where
were YOU born!", els your wife of
American birthi', "For what reason
are you travelling to HONOLULU.
What is the nature Of the businessf
"What house are You connected
with
The question was asked at the meet
ing, what would the government
have done if the would be traveller had
replied that he was travelling merely, for
pleasure?
1t was this phase particularly which
!. Tenney Peck and the members OF
the finance and audit committee were
most concerned with, az they are at
present engaged in collecting large
'und which was especially to be use"
the promotion committee to adyer
Use Hawaii as a tourist resort.
To Wire Mcclellan
1t was felt that direct infoi nation
should be had and the secretary was
instructed to wire Mr.. Mcclellan, who
~ to secure the views of the govern
ment as to whether it is the purpose OF
1.-THE government to discourage traVe
to Hawaii. This is the telegram which
was sent from Washington to the SaT
Francisco collector of customs:
"Whilc the state department has moi
issued any order requiring passports
for citizens OF aliens to Honolulu, Sa
moa or the Philippines, applications
by such. persons without passports
should he made to you and by YOU
wired to the department with YOU
recommendation for action by it
Department will he governed by you
recommendation but of course yot
must be satisfied Of character, purpose
and nationality of applicant before rec
ommending favorably."
The telegram sent to the MatsoI
company from Washington was as fol
lows:
"Orders have not been issued re
'uiring passports for Hawaii. Parties
not having passports however desiring
to 90 to Hawaii must obtain permis
sion departing will be allowed. Thi
tx necessary precautionary measure a
present time. Regret Inconvenience
Therefore cannot alter Telegram
twenty ninth of this department to Sal
Francisco Collector.
W. s. s.