Evening star., 1926-04-09
CITIZENSHIP ASKED
FOR ORHAWAIAN-BORN
Islands Governor Here Urg-
ing Rights-No Japanese
Peril" Seen.

Full America citizenship rights in
the continental United States for per-
sons born in the Hawaiian Islands
form the principal item of discussion
between the administration and Wal
lace r. harrington, governor of
Hawaii, now in Washington. The
barring by the United States immi-
grafton authorities of Hawaiia n-born
Americans of Japanese, chinese or
other Oriental origin has become the
most ticklish political question in the
islands Gov. Harrington hopes to
achieve progress in the direction OF a
solution before returning to Honolulu
at the end of April. His activities are
conducted through the Interior De
partment, which has jurisdiction over
Hawaii.
The issue raised by the United
States immigration authorizes is
vital one. 1t apparently has sentl-
mertal rather than practical lmpor-
lance for II is the establishment of
right, rather than facilities to exer-
else it on any large scale, that is
sought What now happens is that
when Hawaiia n born American citl-
zen of Asiatic blood attempts to enter
the United States at san Francisco ne
is detained and barred. The immigra-
ton authorities refuse to recognize the
birth certificates or United states
passports carried by these American
citizens. even though issued under
full authority by the Territorial gov
ernment at Honolulu. In 1924 a judge
of the Hawaiian fifth circuit, w.
c. Achi. jr., an American citizen
of Chinese Ha waiian ancestry, was
stopped at San Francisco on his way
to Cleveland as a. delegate to the Re
publican national convention.
Step to Recognition.
Prompt and unQuestioned recoSni-
ton of American citizens born In
Hawaii when travelling to any part
of our country" says Gov. Earring
ton. lis another step needed to COM
pIete the recognition of the Territory
as part and parcel of the United
States The immigra tion authorities
at present disregard the birth certifi
Gates which are evidence of the Amer
lean citizenship of persons of Oriental
origin. The result is interference
with their right to travel freely In
their own country. The Hawaiian
Legislature in 1925 authorized the
governor TO appoint commission to
proceed to Washington and present
the matter to the appropriate de-
partments and to the Congress, If
that should be deemed necessary.
The prohibitory practice now in
vogue is considered unjust. Up to
the end of our last fiscal year about
15 900 certificates of Hawaiian birth
had been issued under the territorial
statutes. The certificates are given
only after a thorough and complete
invest Stigation. including testimony of
credible witnesses. There have been
a few isolated cases of fraudulent use |
Of birth certificates, or passports,
wine, ebv AsIatics excluded by Ameri-
can immigration laws were smuggled |
into the United States.
But these are highly exceptional
instances There isn't the slightest |
danger that the country will be
inundated with orientals of America n |
citizenship from Hawaii. l suppose
that the maximum of persons of that |
description who might seek to enter |
the United States would not exceed |
Ii or Is month-iess than goo
wear"
Predominance Of japanese.
Japanese continue to he the over |
predominant racial element |
In Hawaii OF 323,645 inhabitants in |
1925, 06S--about two-fifths-were |
japanese. Some $4,000 Japanese are
born and. therefore, Amer
ican citizens. AS compared to $3.50
British. Germans and Rus
slams in Hawaii, the other leading
racial groups are 1885 Filipinos.
27,470 Portuguese, 24.S51 Chinese and
2l.145 Hawaiians. The unique pOpula- 7
ton mixture of the territory also in
rludes 6,382 Porto Ricans and 1856
Koreans.
Gov. harrington extols the loyal
nism of the Hawaian-born of
oriental pedigree. With rare excep
tions, he claims, it is beyond ques-
tion The governor ridicules the
theory that the day is coming when
.Iapa nese of American citizenship
will rule Hawaii" To dale such cit
izens have registered for voting in
numbers that give slight cause for po-
litical anxiety. There are some vio
lently anti-American Japanese Ian
Suage newspapers controlled by Jap
anese subjects. and more or less con
stant agitation 20 retain Hawaiian
born Japanese as lana nese nationals.
But Americans in the islands don't
believe any danger threatens from
that direction.
Hawaii is prosperous Gov. Far
rington declares. I'VE ship more than
800 600 900 worth of our products to
the United States-about two-thirds
of them, sugar: most of the rest, pine
apples. Then coffee. President cool
idge's refusal to reduce the tariff on
foreign sugar was godSend to the
upon which Hawaii's pros
perity is chiefly deDe rdent. We ait :