Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-27
TO LEARN ALL FACTS
Secretary MetcaIf Will Proceed
to California.
WILL CONSULT OFFICIALS
The President Anxious to Enforce
Treaty Obligations.
HOSTILITY TO THE JAPANESE
Data to Be Gathered Upon Which the
Administration Will Take
Action.
HOSTILITY TO THE JAPANESE


| ment Of Commerce and Labor. to proceed
to San Francisco and make thorough in
quiry into the situation affecting the ex-
clusion of Japanese children from the pub
lie schools, and the determination to place
japanese pupils in separate schools. The
President desires to obtain at first hand
from cabinet officer, who is acquainted
with local conditions in San Francisco, full
information affecting every phase of the
subject to the end that whatever action is
taken by this government may oe based on
| an accurate understanding of the situation.
The President feels that every effort within
the power of the administration should be
exerted to see that all the treaty rights Of
the japanese residing in the United States
shall be respected and protected.
The determination to send Secretary Met
calf to San Francisco was the result of the
recent conference between Vscount Aoki
the Japanese ambassador, and Secretary
Root, at which the former asked in behalf
of his government that the Japanese sub
1ects in California be accorded their full
rights under the treaty Of 1894, including
that of the children to attend the public
schools of San Francisco. The request was
the subject Of an earnest discussion at the
cabinet meeting yesterday, and the conclu-
sion was reached that the best thing to do
was to send Mr.. Metcalf to California to
secure personally all the data which could
The dispatch of a cabinet officer on such
| mission, it was argued would demonstrate
| to the Japanese the evident sincerity Of this
government in dealing with the subject, and
| it's desire to get the facts.
To Make Thorough Inquiry.
| Mr.. Metcalf will leave Washington this
| afternoon and will proceed to San Francisco
| with all possible dispatch. Every facility
| will be put at his command to make his in
vestigation as thorough as possible under
the circumstances as the President is anx-
! ious to have the inquiry conducted with
| petition in order to have the results at
| hand without delay. 1t is hardly likely that
any report from Mr.. Metcalf will be avail
| able before the President leaves on his Pan
ANA trip, although Mr.. Metcalf may send
| some information by telegraph soon after
| he arrives at San Francisco 1t is hoped
! by the administration officials that the
| pressed desire of the administration to Sc
| cure the treaty rights of the japanese will
| tend to allay the anti-American feeling in
Japan until the whole matter Is diplomati-
cally adjusted. During the investigation
Secretary Metcalf will naturally communi-
cate with Gov. Pardee of California, the
| mayor of San Francisco and If necessary
with the authorities of the school board
| who has direct charge of the schools from
| which the japanese pupils have been turned
away He also will consult the Japanese
| consular officers in San Francisco and other
sources Of information.
The inquiries to be instituted by Mr.. Met
calf are supplemental to the steps initiated
| in San francisco Thursday to compel the
authorities to receive Japanese pupils into
| the public schools Such information as
| the United States district attorney at San
Francisco may furnish to the department
bearing on the subject will be made use of
| in connection with that secured by Mr.
Metcalf in any further steps that may be
taken by the United States government.
Indignities to Japanese.
TN fo1 70 no int bo
question Mr. Metcalf will pay some atten-
| ton to the charges made by Viscount Aoki
| to Secretary Root that japanese restaurant
keepers in San Francisco have suffered in
| dignities. These reports, the ambassador
says, come from consular officers of the
Japanese government in San Francisco. At
least seven or eight reports have been
made concerning a boycott inaugurated
| against these resta urants and these reports
state that agents have been poc,ed to pre-
vent patrons from entering the restau
and in several Instances stones have been
| thrown and windows broken. The japanese
| officials in Washington say they realize that
| these demonstrations and the exclusion OF
the school children are acts local in char
| acter, but they say it is hard to convince
| the people of Japan that the national gov
eminent is not responsible for them.
| The President considers Secretary Met
| calf well equipped for the work which has
| been assigned him because of his duties in
| connection with the administration of the
Department of Commerce and Labor and
| of the fact that he is Californian with
| Thorough knowledge of conditions existing
| in that state. Through the bureau Of I'M
| migration in his department the Secretary
| has been in close touch with all phases of
| the immigration question and his knowl-
| edge of the Asiatic element has been that
| of practical experience.
Administration officials do not hesitate to
express privately their views Of the present
| anti-American feeling growing out of the
wrongs which the Japanese declare they
| have suffered. and one member of the cab
| met said yesterday after the meeting that
| the general opinion of the cabinet was that
| the situation was exceedingly grave and
| would require the most delicate treatment
] to prevent an open rupture. The President
| Is doing all in his power to show the Jap
| anese that there is no general feeling
against the race. but that the trouble is
| entirely local, and he expressed gratifica-
| ton when he learned through Ambassador
| Aoki that the Japanese press Is for the
most part attempting to check the feeling
\ against Americans.