___ title: 1936 Maritime Strike start:: 1936-10-28 end:: 1937-02-08 ___ ### Lit Review [[food crisis as a spatial phenomenon]] [[hawaiigovernor_1937]] [[@cady_1937]] @holdaway_1944 @barber_1938 @associatedpress_1936a ### Overview The 1936 Pacific Coast maritime strike ran from from October 28, 1936 to February 8, 1937 (103 days) ### Context “In the years just prior to 1937 interest in vegetable production had begun to increase. Head cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and other related crops were grown to an increasing extent, and for considerable periods supplied completely the needs of the Territory for these crops. Green bean production increased so that just before the war the Territory was producing all the beans it required. Interest in tomato production was increasing. There was also renewed interest in Irish potato production.” [@holdaway_1944, p. 61] ### Cause Can be framed as a response to Sugar power disciplining labor. ### Effects The strike cut off supplies to Hawaii from the mainland "prices rose immediately and a few items of food were not available at any price.” [@barber_1938, p. 532] “Imports of food supplies from foreign countries immediately increased over normal and continued to increase as the strike continued, despite the high duties that were paid.” [@cady_1937, p. 5] “The maritime strike of 1936 demonstrated the undue extent to which Hawaii was dependent on outside sources of foods. As a result the Hawaii Experiment Station at the University made a move to re-establish the positions of Plant Pathologist and Entomologist, positions which had been allowed to lapse for many years.” [@holdaway_1944, p. 59] ### Response [Use of Local Produce in Food Emergency is Urged](https://www.newspapers.com/article/hawaii-tribune-herald-use-of-local-produ/173665566/) ### Lasting Impacts “At the conclusion of the maritime strike of 1936-1937, Major General H. A. Drum, then commanding the Hawaiian Department, uttered this warning: ‘If Hawaii makes no change in her system of production, and her shipping is cut off' from any cause, her food stocks will be depleted in a few days — in a few weeks she will know deprivation — and in a few months she may face starvation.’” [@barber_1938, p. 533] “The maritime strike of 1936 demonstrated the undue extent to which Hawaii was dependent on outside sources of foods. As a result the Hawaii Experiment Station at the University made a move to re-establish the positions of Plant Pathologist and Entomologist, positions which had been allowed to lapse for many years.” [Go to annotation](zotero://open-pdf/library/items/ID3AKCBJ?page=59&annotation=VBUFCRNG) ([Holdaway, 1944, p. 59](zotero://select/library/items/67S4S3BG)) ## Bibliography “1936 HAWAII CLIPPER COVER LETTER CHRISTMAS STRIKE PHOTO | #17743370.” _Worthpoint_. [https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1936-hawaii-clipper-cover-letter-christmas-strike](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1936-hawaii-clipper-cover-letter-christmas-strike) (July 22, 2020). “1936 LETTERS PHOTOS from HAWAII BABE CHILLINGWORTH | #17524358.” _Worthpoint_. [https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1936-letters-photos-from-hawaii-babe-chillingworth](https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1936-letters-photos-from-hawaii-babe-chillingworth) (July 22, 2020). “1936 Pacific Coast Maritime Workers’ Strike.” 2025. _Wikipedia_. 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