The Hawaiian Gazette

WHERE DO THE
RUSSIANS STAND?

New Immigrants Still Making
Statements About Promises
Made Them.

CONTRADICT FORMER CLAIMS

Makaweli Kicker Now Brings Up
Eight-Hour Labor Promise
to Add to Complaints.

There is one Russian malcontent among the first lot to arrive from Manchuria, who has left Makaweli and is one of the principal agitators against a settlement of differences between planters and immigrants, who narrowly missed being a Baldwin, and to be a Baldwin is to be a sugar baron. His name is Baldin, the "w" having been left out of the family name in Russia. Baldin would like to be a sugar baron, but he dislikes being a day laborer at eighty-five cents a day, and for that reason he has come to Honolulu and is on the waiting list for work.

Baldin and three other Russians who have worked at Makaweli for the past four months, accompanied by one Nachrin, who appears to be on distant terms with Koshintsky and Perelstrous, or it might be vice versa, visited The Advertiser office yesterday afternoon.

Nachrin stated that he wished to have a statement which was recently published about himself, corrected. It was stated on the authority of Mr. Koshintsky that Nachrin, who had gone to Makaweli presumably to teach the Russians English, was an agitator and had left Makaweli when he (Koshintsky) appeared there, as Koshintsky had had dealings with Nachrin in Siberia. The statement went on to set forth that Nachrin was in charge of a sort of roadhouse in Siberia and that he (Koshintsky) refused to stay in it at one time, hence the bad feelings between the two men.

That published statement Nachrin wanted to correct. He was not the bad man Koshintsky wished to make him out; neither did he ever conduct such a house as charged. He stated he was a railroad foreman and conducted a small store or magazin, as they call it in Russia, but it was not a bad house, or a rough house, and liquor was not sold there. He stated that Koshintsky was departing from the truth when he made such statements about Nachrin's career in Siberia or Manchuria.

As to Koshintsky's statement that he (Nachrin) was the author of a complaint from Makaweli Russians concerning the old story of wages, prices, stoves, etc., Nachrin stated that the complaint was drawn up by Baldin. The latter when asked if he was the author stated he drew up the complaint and signed it, and the other Russians present affirmed Baldin's statement.

Baldin went on to amplify the written statements, alleging that in Russia Perelstrous had promised they would have but eight hours work per day on plantations. He says that the hours are longer and therefore Perelstrous lied. Baldin was asked if he did not answer before Immigration Inspector R. C. Brown and others when asked if anyone had made any promises about work, that no promises had been made.

It was at this point the interpretation between the reporter and the Russians became faulty and it was not certain just what answers were made.

As a matter of fact Inspector-in-charge Brown asked all the assembled Russians if anyone had promised them work if they came to Honolulu, or if any promises of wages had been made. Every man jack in the crowd replied that no promises had been made. They were then asked what they expected to do on being released from the immigration station and they replied ingenuously that they had heard there was work on plantations.

However, Baldin stated positively yesterday that promises had been made to them in Manchuria. Also they had been told that they would get forty-five rubles per month. This seems to be the crux of the whole difficulty—the difference between a ruble and an American half-dollar, and the purchasing power of a ruble as compared with an American half-dollar. It would take a Philadelphia lawyer to unravel the differences on this score alone.

Then there is the stove question to which Baldin referred. They were given a stove but found that instead of being furnished they had to pay for it at the rate of one dollar per month drawn from their wages. Baldin said that after paying for a stove for seventeen months it would be worn out and a new one would have to be purchased, so that the one dollar a month would continue indefinitely.

This and the price of flour and the price of shoes and the price of potatoes and everything, was the cause of trouble. Baldin showed a pair of brogans he was wearing. They were big and if paid for by size the price was probably about right. However, he said he paid $3.50 American money for them, which would be about seven rubles. They were all told, he said, that shoes could be purchased for one and a half rubles.

Baldin said he has a family of four children and his wife to provide for, that he left Makaweli owing a bill of $25 at the store; that his wife is still at Makaweli and she and the children may come here next week. Meanwhile he is looking for work here and will not return to the plantation.