THE FIFTIETH STATE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28890, 9 May 1959, Page 10

THE FIFTIETH STATE

Problems For Hawaii In New Status

(From a Reuter Correspondent)

HONOLULU. Superb climate, bustling economy, groups of predominantly Oriental extraction, key defence post, crossroads of the Pacific.

This is Hawaii, the group of islands 2228 miles south-west of Los Angeles whose 600 000' Persons have seen a long-cherished dream come true. The dream was full equality with 175 million other Americans. It was fulfilled, on March 12, when the United States Congress ?. ve X wh f™ ng JL t ® p P ro Y® d legislation to make Hawaii the 50th State m the Union.

Continental Americans are now asking: what is significant about this action, taken some 40 years after Hawaii first sought statehood? What can Hawaii contribute to America and what can America expect from Hawaii? What changes will statehood bring internally and who will represent the islands in the halls of Congress? These are the subjects which will concern them most:

Politics: Who will Hawaiians elect to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and what chance do persons of Oriental descent, particularly JapaneseAmericans, have?

Observers can only speculate on the answer at present, because the elections are at least four months away and the names of only a few candidates have been announced. But there are indications that the Democratic Party has stronger candidates than the Republicans and that two young Nisei lawyers have a fair chance of winning a seat. Democrats gained control of the Territorial Legislature in 1955 for the first time in history. They were returned to power in 1957 and again this year. The top office-holding Democrat is Mr John A. Burns-, who, as delegate to Congress for the last few years, had a hand in shaping statehood strategy. He should win any office he seeks. But it. is believed that he will stand for Governor.

Mr Bums is generally credited with doing much to encourage political activity by young Nisei men and women, and two of his proteges have announced that they will stand as candidates for Congress.

One is a 34-year-old disabled war veteran and lawyer, Mr Daniel K. Inouye, who lost an arm in Italy while serving as a captain with Hawaii’s 442nd regimental combat team. Mr Inouye will seek one of the two Senate seats.

The other is Mrs Patsy Takemoto Mink, at 31 years of age the youngest member and only woman in the 25-member Territorial Senate. A lawyer, she intends to campaign for Hawaii’s single seat in the House of Representatives. Possible candidates for Congress include Mr William H. Heen, a lawyer and former Territorial Senate President whose ancestors were Chinese-Hawaiian-Caucas-ian; the present Senate President, Mr Herbert K. H. Lee, of Chinese extraction; Governor William F. Quinn, and Irish-American, Mr Frank F. Fasi, an Italian-Ameri-can; and Mr Oren E. Long, of English-Scottish descent. Race Relations: Hawaii is a melting pot of races and has long prided herself on being a showcase for democracy. Unofficial statistics show the racial breakdown to be: 36 per cent. Japanese, 25 per cent. Caucasian, 18 per cent. Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian, 11 per cent. Filipino, 6 per cent. Chinese, and all others 4 per cent.

The various racial groups, most of whom were brought here many years ago to work the huge sugar and pineapple plantations, live in harmony with each other. There has never been a race riot or any inter-racial antagonism among groups which erupted in physical violence. But that is not to say that there is complete social and economic equality. And there is some racial friction.

For example, the Filipinos, the last big group to settle here, are mostly plantation labourers. As such, they are regarded as socially inferior by their Chinese and Japanese neighbours who deserted the plantations for other work years ago.

The “haole” (nickname for Caucasians) upper class still has its restricted clubs and residential areas, although they are dwindling.

Then, too, there is considerable jealousy of the post-war political and economic rise of the Japanese, which has been considerable. But there is much social and economic intercourse among all groups and. toleration of the other man’s customs is almost universal.

Although Pacific Fleet headquarters are still at “Pearl,” few ships are permanently based there. Most are kept busy patrolling the seas round America’s Asian defence perimeter or on manoeuvres between Hawaii and the mainland United States.

But the top Pacific commanders still operate from Pearl Harbour, and they direct strategy over an area ranging from India to the Aleutians. All told, about 150,000 men are permanently stationed on the principal island of Oahu, and they spend more than 300 million dollars a year in Hawaii—the islands’ biggest sourse of income. Economic Situation: Hawaii is one of the most prosperous communities under the American flag. The standard of living is high, unemployment low. The chief economic props, apart from the armed services’ spending, are sugar exports, valued at 146 million dollars last year; pineapples, worth 116 million dollars, and the tourist trade, bringing in 82 million dollars.

The main hope for an expanding economy is tourism, which is being vigorously promoted throughout the mainland. Stocks of local companies soared in‘recent months when it became obvious that Hawaii would achieve statehood this year. Values have increased as much as 75 per cent. Local businessmen expect that United States and foreign capital will flow here in larger amounts now that statehood has been achieved.

Thus, the United States will undoubtedly capitalise fully on Hawaii’s admission to the Union. Hawaii will be held up as proof that America cherishes and prac- ( tises the democratic ideal that her citizens stand equal before the j law regardless of colour or creed. Defence Outpost: “Remember f Pearl Harbour” was the slogan i which galvanised the United States into action against the i Axis nations in 1941. But never again with a great fleet be concentrated there.