By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Plaque put up in 1934, in honor of
President Roosevelt's isle visit.
Barton Cox of Hauula's query about a plaque at the base of a kukui tree at Iolani Palace crediting its planting to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1954 sent us scurrying right over to the palace. After all, Roosevelt passed away in 1945. Plaque marks
Roosevelt’s 1934 visit
Don't have a cow, Bart, but the plaque -- on the Richards Street side of the Palace -- actually says 1934. Poor choice of typeface, and you have to get on your hands and knees to actually read the rather modest signage. Still, it's the only reminder of the first presidential visit to the islands.
The Territory went nuts. Every move Roosevelt made was covered like it was the Second Coming, from shaking hands with Shriners to tasting pineapple juice. The Star-Bulletin even printed an extraordinary, gigantic edition of the paper that contained "progress" reports on every aspect of Hawaiian society. It was such a success that it later spawned the annual Progress Editions of the daily newspapers. A reporter peeking in the president's window on the cruiser Houston was thrilled to see the paper on Roosevelt's desk.
Even the ads welcomed the President. The Waikiki Lau Yee Chai restaurant actually referred to "Numba One China Cook Allsame Big Boss Plesiden Looshawelt."
Commentator Will Rogers also was in town, adding to the orgy of celebrity-hounding. Amazed when he was given a lei containing real flowers, Rogers exclaimed, "I'll be blowed!" The next day, the paper had a lengthy editorial analyzing the expression, concluding it was "probably nautical" in origin.
Oh, right, the tree. After an address at the Territorial offices at Iolani Palace on July 28, 1934 -- a Saturday -- Roosevelt ceremonially planted a tree. This was common among celebrities at the time, as Arbor Day had become something of a national craze by the 1920s.
In 1959, a loyal Democrat senator named Frank F. Fasi introduced a resolution authorizing the plaque commemorating Roosevelt's visitation. Since then, Fasi has become by turns a Republican and a Fasi-ist, and has probably forgotten all about the New Deal president.
Burl Burlingame, Star-Bulletin.
