Evening star., 1938-02-22
HAWAII IS SUBJECT
Of TALK IN FORUM
Senator King of Utah Dis.
cusses Problem of State
hood for Islands.

The following address was given last
night by Senator King, Democrat. OF
Utah, chairman of a congressional
Committee on Statehood for the
Hawaiian Islands, who spoke in the
National Radio Forum, arranged by
The Star and broadcast over a coast
forecast network of the National
Broadcasting Co.
Many people in thinking of the
Territory of Hawaii visualize land
Of beaches, with tropical moon and
native singers, dancers and guitar
players entertaining the tourists.
They think OF land of sunshine
and cocpnut palms, mountains and
volcanoes. beautiful flowers and colors
at every hand And they are right.
Hawaii has all these things. Nature
has treated this mid-Paciflc area with
. lavish hand. But this is only a
small part of the story. A delightful
climate and beautiful setting furnish
q starting point but that is but a part
Of the story.
On January S, 1887, Samuel Wilder
King, Delegate from Hawaii, intro
duced H. r. l523-a bill to enable
the people of Hawaii to form con-
stitution and State government and
to be admitted into the Union on an
equal footing with the original States.
This measure was referred to the Com
mittee on Territories, where it is still
pending. The importance of the bill
was recognized by both the House and
the Senate, and on August 4, 1887, a
concurrent resolution was agreed TO.
Committee Named.
This resolution, adopted by the
Senate and the House of Representa-
tives, called for the appointment of a
committee composed of IL members OF
the Senate and II members OF the
House of Representatives and the
Delegate from Hawaii, to be known as
the Joint Committee on Hawaii. had
the honor to be named chairman OF
this committee. The committee was
authorized and directed to conduct q
comprehensive investigation and study
of the subject of statehood and other
subjects relating to the welfare OF the
Territory of Hawaii The report OF that
committee, following its investigation,
. has been submitted to Congress.
The people of Hawaii. upon being
advised of the pendency in Congress OF
the bill for statehood and of the ap-
pointment of a joint committee TO
investigate and study the question OF
statehood and other matters relating
to their welfare, made known their
desire to be heard by the committee
when it entered upon the investiga-
ton and study authorized by Congress.
Full opportunity was given to all per-
sons who desired to testify and large
number of witnesses appeared and
testified and their statements were
geographically reported and within
few days will be printed and made
available to the public.
Members of the committee visited
various parts of the Territory, and
endeavored to obtain the views of its
residents respecting the question OF
statehood, as we'll as other subjects
relating to the welfare of the Terri
tory and its inhabitants. They also
visited the public institutions, lnclud-
ing the university, schools, hospitals
and penal institutions, factories mills,
plants, sugar and pineapple planta-
tions and agricultural lands and those
devoted to grazing and others open to
settlement.
Prospects Studied.
The committee gave special atten-
ton to labor conditions and matters
relating to economic and industrial
welfare and development of the Ter
ritory. Full information was sought
concerning the public lands, the re-
sources of the Territory and the pros
poets for its future Development
economically, agriculturally, socially
and culturally. Hearings were con-
Quoted upon a number of the islands
and witnesses from all parts of the
Territory appeared and testified.
The Investigations made cover the
governmental activities OF the Terri
tory and its political subdivisions, the
courts and public institutions.
1t should be stated that subcom-
mittee of the House Committee on
Territories had visited Hawaii in 1885
and had made a very comprehensive
study Of the questions for which the
Joint Committee on Hawaii had been
appointed. It was therefore regarded
as proper that the hearings Of the
subcommittee be made part of the
report and hearings of this COM
mittee. Before the subcommittee los
witnesses appeared and testified, 80
of whom favored statehood for Hawaii
The subcommittee made its report to
the House of Representative and
stated:
80 " we found the Territory of
Hawaii to be a modern unit of the
American Commonwealth, with polit-
ical, social and economic structure
Of the highest type. Its educational
program is an advanced one, with
large portion Of the tax dollar being
spent for the training of its youth.
Even during the period of the depres-
sion, this program was neither relaxed
nor reduced, and its school facilities
compare favorably with those of the
most advanced States. Hawaiis eco
nomic standards are high, with an in
dustrial and agricultural development
forming q sound basis for the con-
tinued growth Of the Territory. =" -"
More Advocates Heard.
sixty-seven witnesses appeared be-
fore the Joint Committee on Hawaii,
Q majority of whom favored statehood.
The committee. after weighing all
the testimony and giving due consid-
GRAFTON to all Of the facts presented,
prepared a report which has been
dled in the House and in the Senate
This report, consisting of 100 printed
pages, Is comprehensive review Of
the testimony and contains data re-
lating to the political. economic and
industrial conditions In the islands.
While the testimony affords reasons
IN support Of statehood, the committee
reached the conclusion that the ques-
ton of statehood should be deferred