Honorary Member Joseph R. Farrington

Author: unknown
Puka Puka Parades, April 1946, vol. 1 no. 1

Article about one of the three original honorary members of Club 100, Joseph Farrington

This issue of the club paper is respectfully dedicated to Honorable Joseph Rider Farrington, Delegate to Congress from Hawaii, and one of the three original Honorary members of the Club 100.

Delegate Farrington needs no introduction. By his outstanding work for the welfare of the people of Hawaii during the past ten years, he has become a statesman of recognition. From students in grammar schools to retired businessmen, the rank and file have a warm aloha for him.

He was born in Washington D. C. on October 15, 1897, and came to the islands with his parents when he was about three years old. From 1900 to 1915 he was a student at Punahou. After completing high school, he enrolled in the University of Wisconsin and was graduated in 1919 with an A. B. Degree in journalism. After spending a few years in the states, as a reporter, Delegate Farrington returned to Hawaii and joined the staff of the Evening Star which was at that time owned and operated by his father.

In 1934 he succeeded his father and was appointed President and General Manager of the Honolulu Star Bulletin, and has continued in this capacity ever since.

Most of us will remember Delegate Farrington’s father, the late Governor Wallace R. Farrington, distinguished as an outstanding executive whose primary interests were in the well being of the people of Hawaii.

Delegate Farrington has been an active participant in Hawaiian politics since 1934. In that year he was elected Senator from Honolulu. In 1942 he was elected Delegate to Congress from Hawaii. As our representative in Washington, he has always been on his toes and has consistently opposed legislation unfavorable to Hawaii. On the other hand, he has worked, through his many friends in Congress, for dozens of bills benefitting Hawaii. He is a popular man in Congress, and his integrity and ability are well known by many of the members.

He is a very busy man. Hundreds of letters have poured in to his office from people everywhere requesting information and assistance. Regardless of how busy he was, he still had time for our boys who were overseas. You will remember that he made us two visits while we were there; once in Italy and again in France. He was the man in Washington who went to bat for us, whenever there were problems confronting us.

You will remember that at one time, men on rotation could not come back to Hawaii to be reassigned. Furloughs could not be taken to Hawaii, but had to be spent on the mainland. Men of other outfits were enjoying their trips home because most of them were from the States. Our boys were dissatisfied. It was our Delegate who took this straight to the War Department and a short while thereafter, a change in orders to the effect that Hawaii boys could return to the islands to spend rotation and furlough time were issued.

In this same connection, limited service men were stuck in the States or were being sent to noncombat outfits overseas. Delegate Farrington ultimately succeeded in having these boys reassigned in Hawaii.

More recently our local papers have been carrying the story of unsatisfactory treatment of wounded veterans returning to Hawaii on a Navy transport. As soon as this complaint got into the hands of our Delegate, he took action in Washington and an immediate investigation was started. Anytime our veterans are mistreated, he takes definite steps to see that corrections are effected[sic].

A review of the Congressional Record will disclose that he never passed up an opportunity to report to Congress regarding the performance in combat of the 100th Infantry Battalion.

These are but a few of the hundreds of things he has done for us. Any attempt to give Delegate Farrington the write-up he deserves would involve volumes.

The Club is happy to dedicate this issue to him, and we hope that he will continue his good work in our behalf. It is a pleasure to have him as one of our KAMAAINA HONORARY MEMBERS and we send our Aloha to him.