The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1906-12-26

| attention to the serene and trdnqul.
attitude of the nations, the one towNrd
| the other, but that while on the sur
face there was evidence of renewed
international friendship, each nation
was straining itself to prepare Tor war.
IEyidently there was apprehension OIL
the lid flying off somewhere. And the
lid is now getting ready to jump OH
and all because the School Board OF
PARKWAY San Francisco Is violating
treaty with Japan, twelve years oiu
which. among other things, grants
Japanese equal rights with the SUD-
iects of the most highly favored ma
| lions in our public schools, ana on
parity with the children of this coun-
| try, Perhaps such treaty was well
enough twelve years ago, but 1t VIII
not do now. That treaty was signed
when Japanese in the United States
were few and far between, and before
the little brown men whipped giant
| Russia, and before the Mikado's sub
jects began to swell up with disgust
ing self-superiority and flooded the
United States with themselves and
their boundless arrogance and inso-
lence. Perhaps the diplomats of Europe
and our own State Department are
needlessly alarmed. bur anyway there
has not been such an international
scare in many a year. The Moroccan
affair was gentle wind by compar-
ison to this hurricane. Europe can see
no way out Of it except by a square
backdown by either the United states
or Japan and on the face of things
nothing less will avert war between
the two nations in interest. There
stands the treaty, clear, plain and DIS
tinct. Our violation of 1t is equally
clear, plain and distinct 1t is at least
compromise or fight. The Hague tribu-
nal cannot touch the question for the
issue has gone far beyond the letter
of the treaty. This is the real issue
now: Are the Japanese boys Of ages
ranging from seventeen to over twenty
fit school associates and playmates for
our girls ranging in ages from twelve
to fifteen years? Is the moral STAN
dard, or standard of morality OF the
japanese students sufficiently high and
firm to warrant us in having 1t adj
hered to by them in our schools as
their code of conduct? Does their ag-
gressive spirit and go-easy mannerism
exert a wholesome influence upon our
school children? That is the whole
question, and 1t Is n question that Is
neither national nor International, but
peculiarly and particularly local
matter. Certainly the School Board of
San Francisco has agreed to provide
ample school facilities for Japanese
students, but the treaty positively
idenies the right OF such separateness
or Discrimination: besides, such re-
Election on the worthiness of the sub
jects of the Mikado to associate on
equal terms with out children would
make his 100000 people wild with
rage. on the other hand, should the
Emperor attempt to force his students
upon our school children 10000. 900
Americans would make the world ring
with denunciations. Meanwhile every
mother OF n school girl in California
certainly will have to be reckoued with
by both OF the high contracting parties
to the treaty OF 1904
Europe does not understand the sit
uation at oil, IT sees nothing hut n
treaty torn to tatters without any APP
parent reason, and a great Asiatic ma
ton grossly insulted. and. OF course,
according to Europe's way of settling
such matters. war is inevitable. unless
President Roosevelt speedily rights the
alleged wrong. which he is powerless
10 do for neither he nor Congress nor
the government has even the shadow
OF a right to supervise. amend or an
! null any part of the laws and rules
: governing California's public school
} system. The question is so fun of per
plexities that even Talleyrand or q
! Bismarck would approach It timidly. II
is not considered nv our wisest states.
men that Japan has all the provisions
OF the treaty on her side. while the
United States. has not peg to hans
. defense upon othe- than the argu-
ment Of the San Frsnc'seo ,Schoo
; Board. which II simrlv Rnd only thai
Japanese male students are not desir-
able associates for our girls .either II
the school room or upon the play
: ground. and that sort of . reason
al