1 - American Memory

197
Hawaii's energ>' resources are virtually nonexistent. We have no
coal deposits, and every drop of oil necessarj' to produce electrical
energy, to operate equipment, and run our motor vehicles must be
imported.
It is fair to say that no industry or individual in my State, from
the corporate giant to the newborn baby, is free of dependence upon
imported goods.
Our exports are no less important. It is essential that Hawaii must
be able, without fear of interruption, to export an average of 1,200,000
tons of raw sugar each year and our canned pineapple products—
our two major exports—as well as our textiles and other locally pro-
duced or manufactured products.
Although other States enjoy alternative interstate transportation
services, Hawaii, of course, cannot be linked to the mainland by trains
or trucks or buses or automobiles. Hawaii has only ships and planes.
When shipping stops, the result can be near paralysis in our economy.
Indeed, in view or the predominantly import-export nature of our
economy, the mere threat of a major maritime or longshore work stop-
page on the west coast reverberates throughout my State.
A REALISTIC THKEAT
Is it realistic to fear that our ocean lifeline may be cut? I must
respond to such a question, unfortunately, with a resounding yes!
Since World War II, strikes in the west coast longshore and maritime
industries have come with devastating frequency and have cost Ha-
waii almost 4 years in lost shipping services, in the aggregate.
Since the close of World War II in 1945, there have been eight
major shipping strikes, only one of them centered in Hawaii, total-
ing 641 days. These were as follows:
1. The .53-day west coast Marine Engineers, Masters, Mates and
Pilots, and International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union
(ILTVTJ) strike of 1946.
2. The 96-day west coast strike by the ILWU and four offshore
unions in 1948."
3. The 177-day Hawaii IL"V^TJ strike qil9i9.
4. The 66-day v - - • - ,^^.j,^ ^^^.j^^ ^^ ^^gg
5. The 27-day •>, unions in 1962.
6. The 47-day unions in 1969.
7. The 134-dav
8. The 41-day s strike of 1972.
Thirty-five a' ore, and scores
of shorter or m of days to the
641-day total, i \es in the last
29 years. How >d experience
of having onl; exports pre-
vented from b
THEI> jr
An impor . when
one of the tl Mnued