Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-04-02

| prepared BY the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. CO.
Sumatra, fourth largest island in
the world outside the frozen polar
regions, although extremely fertile
and rich in resources, is not nearly so
well developed as Java, it's smaller
neighbor among Hollands huge east
ern colonies. These islands lie in
the heart of the tropics where weather
and vegetation conspire under or
binary circumstances to make man a
lazy, happy-go-lucky creature, willing
to take things as they come and like
Iy to look upon labor as quite I'M
necessary pastime. In Java, however,
so 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 it's
10000 square miles and there the
sluggishness toward development that
the tropics tends to breed is evident
The fact, too, that Sumatra's natives
are 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-
cies, Dutch control and Dutch capital
are becoming more firmly settled in
the island. The development is es-
pecially 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 fluctuations Of a labor contrac-
tor from the time Of collecting his
gang to their final delivery in Suma-
ira are legion and, to one disinterest-
ed, very amusing.
The Javanege is tractable and physi-
cally fair laborer, but neither very
ambitious nor reliable He likes his
feast days, his rice harvesting, his lit
tie comforts and Injuries, and is not
eager to forego them for the uncertain
inducements Of foreign lands. But his
mind Is receptive and the clever con-
tractor, terrifying it with well-chosen
stories Of fortunes easily made, BELT
Ting the coolies fears and objections.
Is often able to secure his contract by
the timely offer Of new sarong (the
chief article Of dress worn in the Ma
lay archipelago) and perhaps a.
months wages in advance.
Woes Of the Labor Contractor.
But here the contractors troubles
begin. Unless carefully guarded, the
coolies enthusiasm is very apt to
wane, and the moment for departure
arrives with coolie, new sarong and
months wages unaccounted for.
Even when safely gathered on board
ship and the coast Of Java has been
sunk, there remains still to be cleared
the intervening port of Singapore.
AAOAO1 bA 0AS& uAOc, Willy COuLS IOF the
Malayan coolie brokers smuggle them
selves aboard, no matter how vigilant
the ships officers may BE, for labor is
everywhere in demand With much
astuteness they proceed to poison the
minds Of the already frightened Suma-
tra-bound Javanese.
"Sumatra? A country of tigers and
ferocious savages who eat nothing but
coolies; a ccid land, where there is
no sun, no rice; where laborers are I'M
paid, cruelty treated, and whence they
rarely returnl"
So the tout whispers on, adding ter
ror to their premonitions, refuting all
that the contractor had said, and in
the end offering to aid In their imme-
date escape from the horrible fate In
store to the tempting security of for
tune and happiness in the Malay
states.
Strict watch is kept over the ship
while in Singapore, but scarcely trip
Is taken that few Of those under con-