The Filipino Piecemeal Sugar Strike of 1924–1925

Note on Sources

186 Note on Sources MOST OF THE INFORMATION on day to day developments in the strike comes from the press: the Honolulu Advertiser (HA), the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HSB), the Honolulu Times (HTi), the Hilo Tribune Herald (HTH), the Hawaii Shinpo (HS), The Garden Island (GI), and the Maui News (MN), and the English section of the Nippu Jiji (NJ), available only for the earlier months of the strike. Coverage in each paper is spotty even for local events, but by combining their reporting a tolerably complete account can be constructed. The Hawaii Hochi (HH) had no English section during the strike but is valuable for the post-strike decade. A little material from the Japanese press is available in translations made for the HSPA, for example, the Yoyen Jiho (YJ) of Kauai and the Hilo Kwazan (HK). A little information also appears in The New Freedom. That weekly and the daily Honolulu Times, which ended with the September 17, 1924 issue, were favorable to the Filipino union movement. There are no known surviving files of the Filipino newspapers of that period. Much source material is to be found in the Hawaii State Archives files, particularly those of Governor Farrington: Miscellaneous —Strike, 1924, Filipino Plantation Workers (referred to as Strike File). It contains three reports prepared at Farrington’s request by the HSPA, dated May 5, 1924: ‘Activities of George W. Wright beginning January 1, 1922 (10 pages typescript); ‘Activities of George W. Wright beginning January 1, 1923’ (27 pages typescript); and ‘George W. Wright’s activities in connection with the strike of Filipino laborers in 1924’ (9 pages typescript ). The first two contain many copies of documents; the last is a labor spy’s log. These are cited as “Activities.” Several of Note on Sources 187 the documents are also found in Pablo Manlapit, Filipinos fight for justice; case of the Filipino laborers in the big strike of 1924, Territory of Hawaii, 113 pages, published in 1933 by Kumalae Publishing Co., Honolulu, but mainly written or compiled (probably by Wright) in late 1924. Some of the Archives material is duplicated in the file of photocopies of the correspondence of Manuel Quezon in the University of Hawaii library, Quezonian Papers on Filipinos in Hawaii, (cited as Qu.). Cayetano Ligot, Resident Labor Commissioner, reported to Governor-General Leonard Wood on May 1923 (Qu., pp. 153–156) and September 10, 1923 (Qu., pp. 159–170), and he printed a comprehensive report covering the period up to the end of March 1924, catalogued under the heading Philippine Islands, Resident Labor Commissioner’s Office, Authoritative statement relative to Filipino laborers in Hawaii . . . ,35 pages, in the University of Hawaii library’s microfilm collection. The author has used the microfilmed files of the First Circuit Court (Honolulu), particularly Criminal No. 09134, Territory of Hawaii vs. Pablo Manlapit and Cecilio Basan. The transcript (Tr.) in that case, 554 typescript pages, is also available in the First Circuit files. Other First Circuit Court files used are: Criminal 07661, Terr. of HI vs. Manlapit; Criminal 09129; 09135, Cane Burning, nolle prossed; 09194 and 09196, Terr. of HI vs. Luis Tirona and Criminal 12958, 12963, 12964, 12965. All except 12964, Terr. of HI vs. E. A. Taok, were nolle prossed. U.S. District Court file, Criminal No. 8342, U.S. vs. Pablo Manlapit. The verdict was not appealed and no transcript is available. Also used is a microfilm of the Fourth Circuit Court (Hilo), Criminal No. 1161, Territory of Hawaii vs. Emigdio Milanio et al. Mr. Stowell Wright made available to the writer 20 documents dealing with the discharge of his father, George W. Wright, from his civil service job at Pearl Harbor. Various bits of information can be found in published sources and in State Archives files. After half a century, HSPA ‘industrial relations files are confidential and may not be opened to general inspection—’ However , the author has to thank the HSPA for several specific pieces of information. 188 Note on Sources Probably, pertinent data may be found in as yet unopened files of various sugar plantations, in the archives of the Philippines , and in the Japanese language press of Hawaii. Available sources leave many questions unanswered, for example: What was the organizational structure of the High Wages Movement, particularly on the outer islands? How did its local leaders rise to their positions, what was their background , and what became of them? How were donations...