The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-01-10
ON CONSERVING THE LABOR SUPPLY

Word comes from Washington that there is nc hope of any action
at the present session of the Congress on Kuhio's bill to admit 10000
Chinese laborers to Hawaii, owing to the congestion of the COMPRESSION
al calendar. There is very good evidence also that the bill would re-
ceiye scant shift even if 1T did get acted upon.
With hundreds of thousands of soldiers to be turned back into
civil life, there is little sentiment in the Congress or elsewhere in the
country to consider with favor any kind of immigration at present.
Representative Lufkin, of Mass, has already introduced a bill in
the House prohibiting all immigration to the United States for a NUM-
her of years.
What Hawaii is going to do for labor is a hard nut to crack. There
is one thing that can and should be done, however, and that is to con
serve such labor as we have in every way possible. We have not been
doing this in the past. We are not doing it now.
One of the best anchors for any man or family, regardless of race,
or station in life is a home. Some one has asserted that no man will
fight very hard to defend his clearinghouse, though he will fight to
the last drop of his blood to defend his home. 1t is just as true that
no man will ever consider a domcle on a sugar plantation a home,
he it Groom camp shack or a managers mansion. Unless he can own
it from the center of the earth to the stars above, it will remain to him
4 temporary abode.
No matter how much he is paid, in his mind he will plan some
time to leave it and to find a real home. And his children will leave
it, nine time out of ten, as soon as they are able to shift for themselves.
A complete reversal of the present land policy OF the sugar plan
tatons would doubtless put a stop to this constant, always expensive,
and now really serious drifting away of people who should form the
foundation of the Islands population.
If, instead of the present congested plantation camps, well laid
cut villages could be substituted, and the houses and lots therein be
made available by purchase to the workers, it would certainly work for
more contentment and permanency than the present system.
Outside of the scattered kueanas and other small holdings and the
comparatively small area of government land, all land of whatever
character is corporation owned, and is not for sale o N any terms.
If the plantations would eschew everything but sugar lands, and
were willing to dispose of the rest in small tracts, there would be a
powerful incentive to hold people in the Islands that is now lacking.
Though he might never realize his dream of becoming a land
owner, the fact that such possibility was open to him (and more bayh-
cnary to his chHdren) would do much to keep many a laborer for the
cane fields who otherwise would have but one motive-that of saving
enough money to get away.
With the county fairs, chldren's garden contests, working reserve
movements, etc.. a good start has been made towards teaching a love
for the soil in the Coming generation. And there is no question but
this kind of endeavor could be greatly extended with most beneficial
resuns-to the children.
But that the Islands are to get much benefit therefrom is doubtful
Rather is California and other states likely to reap the benefit, until
Hawaii is able to at least offer a real home to her children.