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By Root 4577 0

that their laboring parents had been abused by the lunas, voted against the Republicans who had supervised that abuse. Von Schlemm's single blow had been transmuted by oratory into daily thrashings. In the early part of the campaign Senator Sakagawa, who should have known better, used this incident to lure the Japanese vote, but later he had the decency to drop such inflammatory rabble-rousing. In the labor troubles that haunted our islands, Goro Sakagawa originally used this same incident to inflame his workers, but later he also reconsidered and abandoned his irresponsible harangues. Nevertheless, for a few months in 1954 it looked as if a deep schism had been driven down the middle of our community, pitting Japanese against haole, but the Sakagawa boys had the courage to back away from that tempting, perilous course. They reconciled haole and Japanese, and it is to their credit that they did so. If there was one man in the history of Hawaii that I should have liked to strangle, it was that accidental, unthinking luna Von Schlemm. By the grace of God, our islands finally exorcised the evil that he so unwittingly initiated.

When the election returns were all in, toward two in the morning, and the Democratic victors were flushed with congratulations, Black Jim McLafferty leaned back in his chair at headquarters and warned Senator Sakagawa: "This victory is going to delay statehood. Last year our enemies rejected us on the grounds that Hawaii wasn't ready because the Japanese weren't Americanized. When they hear these returns, they'll reject us again because you Orientals are too damned well Americanized. But whether we ever become a state or not, we're going to build a great Hawaii."

His reflections were interrupted by the entrance into headquarters of a man whom no one expected to see there, for stern, black-coated Hoxworth Hale appeared bearing a maile lei whose fragrance was apparent even above the tobacco smoke and the shouting. The commander of The Fort looked gloomily about the unfamiliar terrain, then saw Shigeo Sakagawa among a group of cheering friends and noticed the bright-red lipstick on his yellow cheek, as if strangers had been kissing him. Moving toward the most important victor in the senatorial contests, Hoxworth extended his hand and said, Congratulations." Then he placed the maile chain about the young Japanese boy's shoulders and said, "You'll forgive me if I don’t…”

"I'll do that for you, Dad," Noelani said, adding her lipstick to the collection. Hoxworth studied the victorious senator for a moment and asked wryly "How is it none of you smart young fellows are Republicans? "You never invited us," Shig replied with a nervous laugh In distinct tones that many could overhear, Hoxworth said, Well, I want it on record this time, Senator Sakagawa. I'm inviting you to join the board of Whipple Oil. I would be proud to work with a man like you."

The crowd gasped, and Shigeo replied, "On the morning after I introduce my land-reform bill, I'll join you. That is, supposing you still want me."

"You'd be foolish to accept before," Hoxworth said, and with this the proud, lonely man, descendant of the missionaries and owner of the islands, excused himself from a celebration where he was not wholly at ease. When he was gone, Shig's friends cried, My God! He asked a Japanese to join his board," but Noelani said "That's not important. Look! He gave Shig a maile lei. Coming from my father that's better than a crown."

I can speak with a certain authority about these matters, because I participated in them. I knew these Golden Men: the lyric beach-boy Kelly Kanakoa; the crafty Chinese banker Hong Kong Kee; and the dedicated Japanese politician Shigeo Sakagawa. I was there when they became vital parts of the new Hawaii.

It was I who engineered the coalition that defeated Senator Sakagawa's radical land reform. It was I who warned Noelani Janders against the needless folly of falling in love with a Japanese boy, and I told Shigeo Sakagawa frankly that he would damage his career if he allowed it; for in an age of Golden