Hilo Massacre
Encyclopedia
The Hilo Massacre was an incident that occurred on 1 August 1938, in Hilo, Hawaii
, when over 70 police officer
s attempted to disband 200 unarmed protesters during a strike
, injuring 50 of the demonstrators. In their attempts to disband the crowd, officers tear gassed, hosed and finally fired their riot guns, leading to 50 injuries, but no deaths.
These protesters were multi-ethnic, including Chinese
, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Luso
and Filipino American
s. In addition, the strikers were not from one single union; members of many different unions, including the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) participated. The different groups, long at odds, put aside their differences to challenge the Inter-Island Steamship Company. The unions, led by longshoreman Harry Kamoku, demanded equal wages with workers on the West Coast of the United States
and closed shop
or union shop
.
Strikes began on 4 February 1938, and culminated on 1 August when 200 workers gathered to protest the arrival of the SS Waialeale, a steamship owned by the Inter-Island Steamship Company. The protesters were ordered to disband, but refused to comply. Force was used, resulting in hospitalizations.
, Congress
in 1935 passed the Wagner Act, legalizing workers' right to join and be represented by labor unions. Hawaii — not yet a State — had been, starting in the 1920s, virtually controlled by the "Big Five": Alexander & Baldwin
, C. Brewer
, Castle & Cooke
, American Factors, and Theo. Davies
. Furthermore, the Hawaii labor force had been divided up into racial blocs, which helped keep wages low.
Harry Kamoku (1905–1957) was the primary organizer and leader of the first real union in Hawaii to be legally recognized. Kamoku was a Chinese-American and a longshoreman, born in Hilo in 1905.
On November 22, 1935 Kamoku and about 30 longshoremen of every ethnicity formed the Hilo Longshoremen's Association. This successful, and other unions were created or came in to Hawaii from other states or countries, including the Inland Boatmen's Union (IBU), the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) and the Metal Trades Council (MTC).
or union shop
. Strikes continued well into July and August. The SS Waialeale, owned by the Inter-Island Steamship Company, which in turn was owned by the Big Five, was due to come in to port on 1 August. On that day, protesters from different unions arrived to protest the ship's docking. Witnesses estimated the crowd anywhere from 80 to 800, with the newspapers reports saying around 500 to 600. It is likely, however, that there were only around 200 protesters.
who took action and threw tear gas grenades back at the police or away from the crowd. They were also instrumental in providing the unions police plans on how the police were going to react to the strike. The tear gas did cause some protesters to leave and temporary confusion, but after regrouping, the crowd kept on advancing.
Meanwhile, the police were getting ready to bring out the fire truck hoses. The police then proceeded to spray the crowd with water. During this, the police made no attempt to make any arrests, being unsure whether or not they had the jurisdiction to carry out arrests. The protesters eventually regrouped.
The protesters remained peaceful the vast majority of the time, sitting down and refusing to leave when confronted by any police officers.
Sheriff Henry K. Martin ordered the police officers to change out their ammunition from buckshot to birdshot intending to disperse the crowd without fatalities. Police warned the demonstrators they would fire on them if they did not disperse voluntarily few heeded the warning. At 10:20 AM, Lieutenant Charles Warren stabbed one of the protesters in the back with a bayonet
. The police then opened fire for five minutes on the crowd with both birdshot and buckshot among police officers who failed to hear the orders. At least 16 rounds of ammunition were fired, and at least 50 people shot, including two women and two children.
Joseph V. Hodgson (1899–1973) was appointed Attorney General of the territory by Governor Joseph Poindexter
a few weeks before the Hilo Massacre. Hodgson later released the Hodgson Report, which reported on the Massacre.
In October 1938, injured protester Kai Uratani filed a lawsuit against the officers responsible for the shooting. He lost, and instead had to pay for the officers' defense costs.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, when over 70 police officer
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
s attempted to disband 200 unarmed protesters during a strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
, injuring 50 of the demonstrators. In their attempts to disband the crowd, officers tear gassed, hosed and finally fired their riot guns, leading to 50 injuries, but no deaths.
These protesters were multi-ethnic, including Chinese
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
, Japanese, Native Hawaiian, Luso
Luso American
The prefix Luso- indicates a relation to the Lusitania, Portugal or the Portuguese people, as in the terms Portuguese American, Luso- Brasileiros, Luso-Africans, Luso-Asian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of Portugal descent in United States, South America, Africa,...
and Filipino American
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
s. In addition, the strikers were not from one single union; members of many different unions, including the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) participated. The different groups, long at odds, put aside their differences to challenge the Inter-Island Steamship Company. The unions, led by longshoreman Harry Kamoku, demanded equal wages with workers on the West Coast of the United States
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and closed shop
Closed shop
A closed shop is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed....
or union shop
Union shop
A union shop is a form of a union security clause under which the employer agrees to hire either labor union members or nonmembers but all non-union employees must become union members within a specified period of time or lose their jobs...
.
Strikes began on 4 February 1938, and culminated on 1 August when 200 workers gathered to protest the arrival of the SS Waialeale, a steamship owned by the Inter-Island Steamship Company. The protesters were ordered to disband, but refused to comply. Force was used, resulting in hospitalizations.
Background
As part of the New DealNew Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1935 passed the Wagner Act, legalizing workers' right to join and be represented by labor unions. Hawaii — not yet a State — had been, starting in the 1920s, virtually controlled by the "Big Five": Alexander & Baldwin
Alexander & Baldwin
Following World War II, the company entered a new business: land development and real estate. The company formed a new subsidiary, the Kahului Development Co., to develop housing in the Kahului area. In the following years, the company became more involved in the development of its land and the...
, C. Brewer
C. Brewer & Co.
C. Brewer & Co., Ltd. was a Honolulu-based company that was once part of the Big Five companies in territorial Hawaii. The company did most of its business in agriculture....
, Castle & Cooke
Castle & Cooke
Castle & Cooke, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based company that was once part of the Big Five companies in territorial Hawaii. The company at one time did most of its business in agriculture...
, American Factors, and Theo. Davies
Theo H. Davies & Co.
Theo H. Davies & Co. is a company that was one of the Big Five trading and agricultural companies in the Territory of Hawaii.-History:Starkey, Janion, & Co. was a trading company founded in Liverpool in April 1845 by Englishmen James and John Starkey and Robert Cheshire Janion. Janion arrived in...
. Furthermore, the Hawaii labor force had been divided up into racial blocs, which helped keep wages low.
Harry Kamoku (1905–1957) was the primary organizer and leader of the first real union in Hawaii to be legally recognized. Kamoku was a Chinese-American and a longshoreman, born in Hilo in 1905.
On November 22, 1935 Kamoku and about 30 longshoremen of every ethnicity formed the Hilo Longshoremen's Association. This successful, and other unions were created or came in to Hawaii from other states or countries, including the Inland Boatmen's Union (IBU), the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU) and the Metal Trades Council (MTC).
The strikes
On 4 February 1938, strikes began. The strikers demanded equal wages with workers on the West Coast and closed shopClosed shop
A closed shop is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed....
or union shop
Union shop
A union shop is a form of a union security clause under which the employer agrees to hire either labor union members or nonmembers but all non-union employees must become union members within a specified period of time or lose their jobs...
. Strikes continued well into July and August. The SS Waialeale, owned by the Inter-Island Steamship Company, which in turn was owned by the Big Five, was due to come in to port on 1 August. On that day, protesters from different unions arrived to protest the ship's docking. Witnesses estimated the crowd anywhere from 80 to 800, with the newspapers reports saying around 500 to 600. It is likely, however, that there were only around 200 protesters.
The incident
After the ship docked, the crowd advanced down the dock. The police had set up a "dead line" that the protesters were not supposed to cross. The mob, however, crossed it, despite police protests. This led to the police throwing about a dozen tear gas grenades into the crowd. Among the protesters were members of the Hawaii Territorial GuardHawaii Army National Guard
The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
who took action and threw tear gas grenades back at the police or away from the crowd. They were also instrumental in providing the unions police plans on how the police were going to react to the strike. The tear gas did cause some protesters to leave and temporary confusion, but after regrouping, the crowd kept on advancing.
Meanwhile, the police were getting ready to bring out the fire truck hoses. The police then proceeded to spray the crowd with water. During this, the police made no attempt to make any arrests, being unsure whether or not they had the jurisdiction to carry out arrests. The protesters eventually regrouped.
The protesters remained peaceful the vast majority of the time, sitting down and refusing to leave when confronted by any police officers.
Sheriff Henry K. Martin ordered the police officers to change out their ammunition from buckshot to birdshot intending to disperse the crowd without fatalities. Police warned the demonstrators they would fire on them if they did not disperse voluntarily few heeded the warning. At 10:20 AM, Lieutenant Charles Warren stabbed one of the protesters in the back with a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
. The police then opened fire for five minutes on the crowd with both birdshot and buckshot among police officers who failed to hear the orders. At least 16 rounds of ammunition were fired, and at least 50 people shot, including two women and two children.
Aftermath
Later that day, a larger crowd gathered to be addressed by Harry Kamoku. Estimates of the size of the crowd range from 500 to 3000 people. Kamoku described what happened, "The only reason we know for them shooting at us like criminals is that we are members of our chosen unions. The order to shoot came while we were sitting down."Joseph V. Hodgson (1899–1973) was appointed Attorney General of the territory by Governor Joseph Poindexter
Joseph Poindexter
Joseph Boyd Poindexter was the eighth Territorial Governor of Hawai'i and served from 1934 to 1942.-Early life:...
a few weeks before the Hilo Massacre. Hodgson later released the Hodgson Report, which reported on the Massacre.
In October 1938, injured protester Kai Uratani filed a lawsuit against the officers responsible for the shooting. He lost, and instead had to pay for the officers' defense costs.