Hawaiian Sugar Plantation Association (HSPA): Against Immigration Quotas

Under the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934, Filipino-Americans were challenged with immigration quotas and the decrease in labor opportunities. The Tydings-McDuffie Act granted the Philippines its "independence" and reclassified Filipinos as aliens even if the Philippines was a U.S. Commonwealth. In addition, the act allotted for only 5o Filipinos to annually immigrate to the United States legally.

Due to the restriction put on immigration, a threat was put on the supply of cheap labor forces needed within agricultural sector. To many plantation owners, Filipino laborers were a great commodity in regards to hard work and and good work ethics. Thus, the immigration restriction made it almost impossible for Filipino-Americans already living in the U.S. to petition their loved ones and family members. This accentuates the inability for many of the laborers to develop of connect with their families. In other words, Filipino hopes of family reunification were shattered.

Another threat to plantation owners was the Repatriation Act of 1935. Having experienced the hard way of life with low wages, long hours, and no family, the conditions of the Repatriation Act became a good alternative option to numerous Filipinos. The Repatriation Act created a movement of about 1,990 Filipino laborers back to the Philippines since free passage back to their homeland was offered.

According to an article published in a Times Magazine article from 1938, "RACES: A Filipino Plop," many Filipino men did not want to go home without assurance of making a living. However, many Americans felt that they many Filipinos were a threat to White women because of the hyper-sexualized image of Filipino men.

What do the Hawaiian Sugar Plantation Association (HSPA) have to do with Filipino quotas and immigration policies?

The HSPA was an political agricultural organization that lobbied against the restrictions of Tydings-McDuffie and Repatriation Act of 1935. This was done in favor of plantation owner interests in capitalist markets, efficiency, and profits. The HSPA were successfully given an exemption against these immigration restrictions and were able to continue the cheap supply of Filipino labor up until WWII. This helps to explain why 23% of Hawaii's population consists of Filipino and how Filipinos have made a legacy of earnings and entrepreneurship in the paradise islands.

Although Filipinos were able to stay in the Hawaiian Islands, the HSPA advocated for Filipino immigration rights solely for the intention of profit. The HSPA used ethnicity ties against their laborers in order to keep wages low. For example, Okinawans would be given higher positions that could be used against Filipinos in order to create tension amongst the races and to keep the pay down. Another example is that White workers would be paid $140/mo. where Filipino workers would be worked long hours for $20/ mo. Furthermore, it was to the HSPA's advantage to keep Filipino workers working in their fields. In inability of racial equality for Filipinos enabled plantation associations to use their lobbying power in order to exploit the hierarchical labor system that was present long before 1930s.

By: A.T.

Sources:
"Races: A Philippine Plop." Time Magazine. Published October 03, 1938. http://www.time.co/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760236,00.html
"Plantation Life. The Philippine History Website. http://opmanong.ssc.hawaii.edu/filipino/plantation.html