The Hawaiian gazette., 1918-10-01
Mead Brings But
Little Hope
OF Getting Labor
With Transport Service Restored
Space May Be Secured From
PhIippineS-No Porto RiCanS
Now and No Hope Of Chinese

IInwnlinn sugar plantations will
hu,r to- r"pPnl upon their present
Source Il >upliy for new labor, the
Ehilipp.rrs. at lrpst for the time being,
hche> r. Eu,n' y. Mcnd. ,hrr"tor Hn
Nn,inn SuInr p,nn'prs' Association Ru
rrau Of Labor AMI Statistics, who has
jnst rr'urnrI from Washington, where
he went u. II member of special com
mttcP Of the association to take up
matter connected with the price fJr
the mrvt crop.
lie returns with the definite answer
from thC heads Of bureaus Of the dr
partmCmt Of labor that there is no
Immediate prospect of securing assist
amco from the government in getting
Porto Rirans for labor on the lln
waiinn plantations.
While his information is not official
and direct he is confident that there
is just as littl> or less prospect Of Chi
nese labor being secured through an
amendment to the immigration laws,
or in any other way for at least a
year or two.
Bringing Ftlipinos
As to government aid in getting n
larger number Of FilipinOs brought here
for plantation labor he says the ques
tiOn of permitting immigrants of this
race to come to Hawaii Gin otherwise
unOccupied space on transports is being
given consideration in Washington.
At the time he interviewed the war
department officials regarding the use
Of transports in bringing FiliPinOs here
he says there was nothing sail about
the intention to discontinue the trans
port service, with Honolulu as a port
Of call, which has happened since.
Because of the short time which had
elapsed since his return from Wash
ington, Mr. Mead said yesterday he
was unable to say it, or how the labor
recruiting work Of the sugar planters ;
association in the Philippines would he
extended so more Of this class Of la
Dor could be brought here monthly.
In the opinion Of Mr.. Mead the
principal reason why the government
does not favor the recruiting of Porto
Rcan labor for Hawaii is that all of
this labor which can he secured IL
needed in the United States for war
work Another reason is the lack of
shipping to move Porto Ricans, which
Mr. Mead views az the main objec
tiUn and obstacle to the importing Of
this labor to IIaVai.
OF the need Of labor in the states,
Mr.. Mead says:
"Within radius or 800 miles of
Washington, | am told, there is need
Of million lahorcrs in essential war
=. la, l,t ii
includes the big ~racoast plants near
Washington.
War Needs First
Mr. Mead SAYS the cling in Wash.
ingtOH toward lInWuiI is distinctly
friendlv, " hut the business of the gov
erumemt is making war and everything
~ subordinate to that. He comments
that there - wonderful cooperation and
coordination between the various
branches Of government in Washing
ton now.
The sugar planters representative
went to Washington specifically to at
'rud the conference regarding the
change in price Of sugar. but followed
up his previous efforts to get Porto
Rican labor for Hawaii while in Wash
Ington, which he hal undertaken sew
rral months before. lie says he was
frankly advised by the department of
labor bureau heads that the recruiting
Of the Porto Rican4, would not meet
with government favor.
May &c no Later
Although Mr.. Mead says he made NJ
direct effort to secure Chinese for Ha
wnii it is evident he sounded Ofiicia
opinion sufficiently to be convinced
that there is0littI" prospect of Chinese
being admitted here or to the main
land for ~ least n year or two. Ever
IN spite of the shortage of labor or
the mainland he believes that it would
, take AT least two more years of war
with great shortening of the present
labor supply, before the admission OF
Chinese would be favored and permit
ted by congress.
lie does not say 50 emphatically, hu
it is apparent he Things the KuhiC
hill providing for the admission oJ
| 10000 Chinese to Hawaii will not be
passed by congress very soon, and no
until the whole nation turns to Chint
for IL labor supply, which the contin
uatiOn Of the "ar may make necessary