Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-04
CALIFORNIA MEN
MUCH D|SPLEASEO
Resent Presidents Remarks on
Japanese Question.
TO CONFER AS TO ACTION
Say the People of Their State Will be
Stirred Up.
JOIN ISSUE WITH EXECUTIVE
JOIN ISSUE WITH EXECUTIVE
It is Claimed That Treaty Rights
Have Been Violated-Dis
cussing the Message.

That part of the Presidents message
dealing with the japanese school question
caused great perturbation among the Cal
ifornians in Congress today. They were
in a state of indignation all the afternoon
although they tempered their remarks for
publication and were careful to avoid criti-
cism of the President. They were espe-
cally resentful of that paragraph in the
message in which the President said, in ref
erence to the enforcement of the rights OF
aliens. Even az the Ian now is, some
thing can be done by the federal govern
ment toward this end, and in the matter
now before affecting the Japanese
everything that it is in my power to do
will be done. and all of the forces, military
and civil, of the United States, which
may lawfully employ, will be employed"
The Californians in private conversation ex-
pressed grave concern lest this recommen
dation will be misconstrUed by the people
of the Pacific coast and cause further In
flaming of public sentiment.
The Californians will hold a meeting of
their full delegation in n few days, or, as
one of them said las soon as we can cool
off, at which they will outline their course
of future action. 1t is certain that they
will oppose the Presidents recommendation
for legislation naturalizing the japanese.
Violation of Treaty Denied.
Representative Hayes of California was
one of the first to get a printed copy of the
message ANA eagerly turned TO that section
dealing with the question which is of most
vital interest to his constituents He was
plainly Disconnected over the tenor of the
Presidents views. After reading the mes
sage he talked with newspaper men, PR fac
ing his remarks with the statement that
r. he desired particularly TO avoid anything
which looked Ike criticisms of thcsesxeaRs-
tive. He said ne thought the Presideat'sss-
working upon plan which would solve
the difficulty. Mr.. Hayes asked how
he construed the Presidents suggestion
of the possible of the miItary arm
of the government for the protection of tie
rights of the Japanese.
~ do not know how TO construe it, re-
piled Mr.. Hayes. Il contend, and it is the
contention of our entire delegation, repre-
senting the attitude of the people of my
state, that we have not violated any treaty
nor subjected ourselves to such threat.
If the government of the United States
should try to enter into treaty with Japan
which would dictate to how the schools
should be conducted under state law I'VE
believe that ii would be held unconstitution-
al. 1t certainly would be unless are 60
ing 10 reverse the whole system of govern
ment and the relations which have existed
between the federal and state governments
for a hundred years.
Undoubtedly this message will stir up
the peope of California They will be at a
loss to understand the Presidents reference
TO the use of the military arm of the gov
eminent, and they will resent il.
The California delegation will most GER
tainiy oppose with all their vgor the pas
sage OF a bill to naturalize the japanese.
We do not want any more race or color
question in the United States than we have
at present, and the enactment of such a
law would most assuredly bring more"
"A Yelled Threat"
That part of the Presidents message
with reference to the San Francisco school
lion
of coercion. said Representative Nolan.
~ will. In my judgment. prove most dis
tasteful to the people of San Francisco
and, for that matter. of California gener-
ally. 1t is a good thing that this message
could not become public before the cleo
ton, for l am sure that had that been
the case some of us would have suffered
Any one not familiar with the situation
who might read that part of the message
could very easily get an idea that the
Japanese had been denied privileges of
an education IN San Francisco. This
Is certainly not the case. The Jauanese in
question were merely transferred 10 the
Oriental school, where their educational
advantages Were just as great in the
white institutions, but this is not by any
means made clear in the message and
might lead to misunderstanding.
THE President of the United States is
entitled to his own opinion in the matter
and member OF Congress is entitled to
his. ] do not know that there is any real
necessity for a meeting of the California
delegation just now, although II is prob
able that shall get together to talk
things over. OF course, in case the thing
goes any further. shall be heard from
but | find it hard to believe that there is
any possibility of trouble along this line
The Presidents remarks on the subject do
not seem to be any too clear, and ii is
hard to grasp an idea of just how far he
means 10 make his language go, but the
threat seems to be there just the same and
II Is also just certain that the people
OF my state Will be anything but pleased"
Obscure to Mr.. Kahn.
Il am at a loss TO know" said Represen-
tative Kahn of California, what the Pres
ident means by that portion of his message
e concerning the San Francisco school prob
lem. do not think that any treaty stipu-
lations are being violated. | do not know
whether the President means that he can
compel the board OF education to take Japa-
nese children IS pupils In the .-ools with
WHITE children. l do not know whether he
means to say that he can do this under ex-
listing law Personally l think there is
grave doubt that it can be done. Ii he
means that Japanese children are being
abused in any way, this can be stopped
But with respect 10 all his remarks on this
subject, ! cannot seem to get cry clear
ids
Representatives Kahn and Hayes had a
little talk this morning just after the mes
sage got into the House. and there will
probably be several informal conferences
so that when the delegation meets as a
whole il can carry into effect any plans de-
cided rSon.
California Senators Reticent.
The japanese school question will be
the subject of some talk in the Senate.
Several senators were today discussing
this matter, and 1t is likely that before
the day is over or tomorrow there will
be some reference to the Presidents
statement.