The Connecticut labor news., 1921-08-05
COME THOUSANDS OF MILES
 TO OPPOSE COOLIE LABOR
Delegation From Honolulu Labor Bodies Visits Washington to Pro- test Admission of Chinese Workers to Islands.

Washington, Aug. 5.-If the sugar planters of Hawaii have reached the point where they feel they are forced to import Chinese coolie labor, then 1t is time their business was re- organized.
 That was the declaration made to President Gompcrs, Secretary Morr1- son and the A. F. of l., legislative committee by G. W. Wright, prcsi- dent of the Honolulu Central Labor body reporting at A. F. of l.. head quarters upon arrival here.
 President Wright and Treasurer w. k. Chiffon came to Washington representing the Honolulu central body to appear before the committee on immigration of the house in pro test against H. R. joint resolution I7l, the purpose of which is to open the doors to coolic immigration to Ha- Wai.
 Under the provision of that reso- lution it is estimated that upon proclamation of the President that an emergency exists as many as. 5OOOO Chinese coolies can be brought to Hawaii ,and 1t is the expressed fear of labor that this would, in addition to constituting at the outset viola tlon of a principle maintained for 40 years, be an entering wedge for inn migration of COOlieS to the mainland.
 Prior to the arrival of the Hawaii an labor representatives, the officers of the A. F. of L. protested energeti- cally and notified all Pacific and in ter-mountain central bodies of the crucial situation The result of this was that large number of protests were lodged by wire with Congress- man Albert Johnson, chairman of the house committee on immigration.
 At the present time" said Presi- dent Wright, reporting to the officers of the A. F. of L. in the office of President Gompers, "the sugar inter ests are dominating all the commer- Cial and industrial affairs in the terri They have the system down SO fine that ii mechanic in any of the trades incurs their enmity or displeasure that man has to leave the islands. They have a blacklist.
 'The trouble IS that their planta- tions are too large. They are all con trolled by one little group of five or 10 men with their interlocking direC- tOrates and trust companies of which the directors or stockholders control not only the plantations but the tran sportation companies"
 Both President Wright and Treas urer Chiffon denied emphatically the need for importation of labor to the islands President Wright said that at the most the sugar companies can not now employ more than $500 workers, while there are fully 2,ooo unorganized unemployed i'll the is lands. iH
 The whole secret of the movement to admit Chinese coolies is, he de clared, to provide a class of workers who will accept lower standards of living. The coolies would be employ ed to replace Japanese and these, in turn, would make every effort to rise above their present economic status, forcing Americans out of the skilled trades.
 The evidence produced by Presi dent Wright and Treasurer Chiffon directly contradicts statements made by sugar planters who have come to Washington from the Hawaiian is lands to assist in putting through the measure to destroy Asiatic exclusion and open the door to coolie importa- ton and peonage on American soil.