The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1949-12-01
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
By Hassl Bronnon

q
OF magic in this tropical paradise
made up of eight islands with q
total area of 6,435 square miles.
These islands which together
make UP the territory Of Hawaii
are Hawaii, the largest island
with an area of 4.O30 square
miles; Maui, 728 square miles;
Oahu, on which is located the
port and city Of Honolulu, 604
square miles; Kauai, SIS; Malo-
kai, $50; Lanai, 14l; Niihau, u;
Kahoolawe, AS. A casual visit
does not afford enough time to
see all of the islands which in this
atomic age are of utmost impor-
lance to every man, woman and
child in the United States.
With the lesson Of Pearl Har-
Dor engraved indelibly on our
minds we realize as American
citizens that the Hawaiian Islands
form our Pacific outposts Of de-
tense and must be maintained re-
gardless of cost. The battleshir
Arizona still rests in Pearl Har.
Dor and in it is entombed 96(
American men - yes, the war is
still very vivid in the minds Of
the 540,500 citizens of Hawaii.
At this particular time the peo-
pie in Hawaii are keenly interest.
ed in the trial of Harry Bridges
in the United States and leading
citizens here say if Bridges is de-
ported it will have most bene-
ficial influence in the Islands
where radical labor leaders have
been welding tremendous influ-
ence.
Hawaii has been plagued with q
series of strikes which most citi-
zens regard as the direct respon-
sibility of the radical communis
tic influence. The Communists
seem to have been quite success
full in using their favorite methods
Of infiltration here - marrying
into families in the Islands and
becoming part of the local scene.
Bridges himself appears to have a
great influence on the estimated
50,000 Filipinos who work ON the
sugar and pineapple plantations
and have no particular loyalty to
Hawaii or anything else.
A real Hawaiian is almost a
thing # the past there being
only lo,650 citizens of pure Ha-
waiian stock left in the Islands
.There 1re 70.l10 citizens Of part
Hawaiian stock. However, the
two groups together are not hall
~ large as the Caucasians
(whites) who number l80, 40 OF
tho japanese who account for
l76180 IL the total population in
nj Of the Islands. Other races
who combine to make up the rest
Of the population are Filipino,
$3.50; Chinese. 30,53O; Puerto
Rican $3.50; Korean, 1920. These
figures are based on the official
estimated census of 1913 which
gave the Islands a population Of
540.500. The city Of Honolulu
alone accounts for 277,l29.
# seems shame to me that the
Hasvaiians. who have contributed
20 much beauty to the world
through their matchless music and
dancing, are fast losing their ra-
cial integrity through intermar-
riage with other races. The diff
ference between the dancing and
singing of the real Hawaiians and
the part-Hawaiians is apparent
even to a novice. I was thrilled
to see the most beautiful hula
dancing you could ever imagine
at the lovely Nuimalu hotel in
Honolulu - and by two women
who were at least sixty years Of
age or more and tipped the scales
around 200 pounds.
The magic that is Hawaii is ap-
parent the moment one steps off
the ship. If the traveller is lucky
enough to have a friend on the
Islands he or she is met and the
lei is placed around the neck with
the traditional greeting of aloha"
which means practically any
thing. as the Hawaiians say,
whether hello or goodbye, good
or good night. "Aloha"
can mean ''how are your" and it
can mean Il love you" The
greeting is used all the time by
everyone on the Islands and it
Is enchanting.
The lei. necklace made of real
flowers, is used by the Hawaiians
In many ways a young man
sends his sweetheart lei instead
II . shoulder corsage and at the
Ala Wal Club on Ala Wal Canal,
! club for officers Of the United
States Armed Forces, saw many
American girls on the dance
floor with leis around their necks
and flowers in their hair. It is a
custom patterned after the Is
landers for a Hawaiian girl