Idaho County free press., 1924-08-07

IWxarX
eiety, Washington, d. CD
s,uotrs. fourth largest island In
,hs world outside the frozen polar
,as,ors although extremely fertile
md rIch in resources, is not nearly so
worl deyeloped as Java, its smaller
rsIghbor among Hollands huge east
avn colonies. These islands lie In
hs heart of the tropics where weather
ana vegetation conspire under or
du,ry circumstances to make man a
lazy, happy-go-lucky creature, willing
TO take things as they come and like
II TO look upon labor as quite un-
necessary pastime. In Java, however,
40 great has become the pressure OF
population, the people must work like
beavers, and they have made their
Island a garden spot. Sumatra has
only about 100000 inhabitants in Its
$4,000 square miles and there the
slugglshness toward development that
the tropics tends to breed is evident.
The fact too, that Sumatra's natives
ere nearer savagery and that they
have resented the intrusion of their
Dutch masters has held the island
back.
But as Java's population becomes
more pressing, Sumatra looms up near
by as a land OF greater and greater
PROMISE and despite savage tenden-
cles, Dutch control and Dutch capital
are becoming more firmly settled in
the island. The development is es-
peclally taking the form of establish
ment Of great rubber and tobacco plan
tations. The warlike Sumatrans are
not available for labor, and in the
Development of the country practically
all the labor has to be imported on
shOrt-term contracts. Chiefly 1t is
Chinese, which is expensive; King,
which is viewed with disfavor by the
British Indian government, or Java
nese, which is unwilling to come and
does not thrive In the climate.
The trlbulatlons of a labor contvac-
tor from the time Of collecting his
gang to their final delivery in Sumo
ira are legion and, to one disinterest-
ed, very amusing.
The Javanese is tractable and physi-
cally a fair laborer, but neither very
ambitious nor reliable. He likes his
least days his rice harvesting, his lit
ue comforts and luxuries, and is not
eager to forego them for the uncertain
inducements of foreign lands. But his
ailnd Is receptive and the clever con-
tractor, fortifying it with well-chosen
s'ores OF fortunes easily made, belit-
ulng the coolies fears and objections,
Olten able to secure his contract by
ae timely offer of a new sarong (the
,uiet article Of dress worn in the Ma
'dy archlpelago) and perhaps a
months wages in advance.
Woes of the Labor Contractor.
But here the contractors troubles
Oesln. Unless carefully guarded, the
sOOues enthusiasm is very apt to
"a,e' and the moment for departure
arrives with coolie, new sarong and
''V1'ns wages unaccounted for.
.,i even when safely gathered on board
g ana the coast of Java has been
uuA' there remains still to be cleared
% % intervening port of Singapore
trS' a,'e' IN disguise, willy touts for the
s., s.aayan coolie brokers smuggle them
a. 'ss ABOARD, no matter how vlgilant
s~s ~e shps officers may be, for labor is
sst,. a.where in demand. With much
T,u,eness m,ns they proceed to poison the
tra ,Ss W. VI the already frightened Suma-
"a'Sound Javanese.
fsroo, s'"a'raF A country of tigers and
co.,,Is ,I'Ous savages who eat nothing but
M a cold land, where there is
Os,S S'u' no rice; where laborers are un-
s~u, ,s.o, cruelty treated, and whence they
''rely returnl
,. ~ the tout whispers on. adding fer.
h.. " tneir premonltions, refuting ali
the ans contractor had said, and in
dlats 1u onering to aid in their imme-
,,o,o escape from the horrible fate in
tuna w ,ne tempting security of for
states ana happiness in the Malay
wbna L'SI watch is kept over the shin
L tsl.an n singapore, but scarcely a trlr
" mat a few of those under con.