Milford chronicle., 1949-07-29
Statehood For Hawaii

puDllc OF HaWall asked InaL tnelr
islands be annexed to the United
States, with a. promise of future
statehood. The first annexation
legislation by congress was vetoed
by President Cleveland in the
closing days of his second admins
tration. During the Mckinley ad-
miniStration, with the war with
Spain as an urge, joint resolu-
ton passed by the senate and
house, admitted the islands as
territory with an implied promise
of early statehood.
Through congress after congress.
for the last half century. excuses
have been found for not keeping
that implied promise to the people
of Hawaii. Some of the reasons
not the excuses-have been purely
partisan. Hawaii, as a state, would
undoubtedly send two Republican
senators, and at least one Repub-
Ecan representative to Washington.
Such conditions were not inducive
to statehood legislation under
Democratic administrations, or
with a Democratic house and SEN
ate. The armed forces, dominant
in Hawaii, opposed statehood on
the claims of disloyalty of the
oriental residents, despite the show
ing of those orientals in the two
world wars. Personal POLITICAL an
tagonisms in the islands had some
effect in helping to stop statehood.
AS a territory Hawaii pays
into the federal treasury as
federal taxes more than any
one of IL of the 4S states. The
islands economy is based on
sugar cane and pineapples.
That presumably calls for orb
entail labor, but that to-day is
Hawaiian born labor. The inn
pOrtation Of Japanese and Chi
nese stopped with annexation.
The island-bOrn Orientals en-
pIoyed on the sugar cane and
| pineapple plantations are paid
higher wages, have better liv-
ing conditions, than is true Of
farm labor in any section of
COntiI entail United States. Con-
greSs permits the island PLAN
tations but limited market In
continental United States for It's
sugar in order to provide .
market for Cuha.
Hawaii is territory with fed
eral appointed governor and ter
ritorial elected legislature with but
a limited authority. The islands are
not in a position to cope with in
ternal or external difficulties as a
state government would be. Help
for her difficulties must come from
Washington, if it comes at all.
Again partisanship enters into
the picture. The Washington admin
istration feels under obligation to
the labor bosses. 1t is not included
to do anything that would antago-
nize those labor bosses, such as
Harry Bridges and his 1ongshore-
mans union. The labor bosses are
presumed to control more votes
than the half a million American
citizens in the islands, who have no
votes in any national election. To
move food and other needed sup
plies in, the island products out,
would not be acceptable to the
union bosses, and the island people
are left to the mercy CD Of Harry
Bridges and such influence as may
be behind him.
In the SOth congress the house
passed the bill admitting Hawaii
as the 49th state. 1t was blocked in
the senate by a senate committee,
some members of which wished to
make legislative jaunt to the is
lands, presumable to secure first
hand information. but in reality
only for free ride.
, The Hawaiian islands are q
J valuable acquisition of the
: United States. AS an American
outpost they undoubtedly pre-
, vented Japanese attack on
! our Pacific coast in World War
; III. AS an outpost under federal
control the island people suf-
ferred all the rigors of severe
military discipline inflicted by
~the armed forces. Now they are
suffering hunger, shortages.
the destruction of local busi-
ness, at the instigatiOn of Harry
Bridges, and which only the
;, federal government can REM
\ edy.
i How long must Hawaii wait fol
d that promised statehood. and Z
+ chance for the people to hell
# themselves?
l. We, the voters of both parties
e wonder who is big enough to meas
4. ure up to the job of president il
IT 1852. There will be numerous ap
e plicants for the job and all will as
sure us they fully measure up.
When it comes time, at age IS
ct for veterans of World Wars ant
,e II to collect the pensions that ar
is being anticipated. it will be tn
:. veterans and their children VIII
;. will do a considerable portion Q
= the paying. They will be a larg
: percentage of the taxpayers of ths
- day and will put up large porto
: of the billions the pensions call fol
- plus the cost of bureaucratic ac
ministration. There will be a pal