The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-19
SENDS JAP REPORT
President Transmits to Con
gress Metcalf'S Findings.
FRISCO SITUATION REVIEWED
Secretary Describes Conditions in
the Public Schools and the Cir
nratiOn Of Oriental PupiIs-BOycOtt
of Restaurants Led to Violence.

The President yesterday sent to Con-
gress the report Of Secretary Metcalf,
who investigated the japanese troubles
In San Francisco.
The Presidents letter of transmittal
was as follows.
To the Senate and the House Of Repre-
sentatives:
I inclose herewith for your information
the final report made to NE personally by
Secretary Metcalf on the situation affect
ing the japanese in san Francisco. The
report deals with three matters of con-
trovery-hrst, the exclusion of the Japa-
nese children from the San Francisco
schools; second, the boycotting of Japa-
nese restaurants, and third, acts Of vio-
lence committed against the Japanese.
As to the first matter. l call your espe-
cial attention to the very small number IF
japanese children who attend school, 70
the testimony as TO the brightness, clean
illness, and good behavior Of these Japa-
nese children in the schools, and to the
fact that owing 10 their being scattered
throughout the city. the requirement for
them all TO go 70 one special school is
impossible CT fulfllment and means that
they cannot have school facilities Let
me point out further that there would be
no objection whatever 20 excluding from
the schools any japanese on the score OF
age It is obviously not desirable that
young men should 90 to school with the
children. The only point is the exclusion
Of the children themselves. The number
Of japanese children attending the pub
lie schools IN San Francisco was very
small
suit Has Been Started.
The government has already directed
that suit be brought to test the constitu-
tiGnalty Of the act In question. but my
very earnest hope is that such suit viii
not be necessary, and that as a matter
of comfy the citizens Of san Francisco
viii refuse TO deprive these young Japa-
nese children Of education and will per
NIT them 20 go 20 the schools
The question as 10 the violence against
the japanese is most admirably put by
Secretary Metcalf. and I have nothing to
add 10 his statement. I am entirely con-
/ ident that. as Secretary Metcalf says.
the overwhelming sentiment of the State
OF California is for law ard order and
for the protection OF the japanese in their
persons and property. Both the chief
OF police and the acting mayor Of san
Francisco assured Secretary MetCalf that
everything possible would be done 10 pro-
tect the japanese in the city. I author
lied and directed Secretary Metcalf 10
state that If there was failure to protect
persons and property, then the entire
4.
the limits OF the Constitution would be
used promptly and vigorously 10 enforce
the observance 81 our treaty the su-
preme law OF the land. which treaty guar
antecd to japanese residents everywhere
in the Union full and perfect protection
for their persons and property; and to
this end everything in my power would
be done, and all the forces of the United
States, both civil and military which I
/ could lawfully employ, would be en-
ployed- call especial attention 20 the
concluding sentence Of Secretary Met
calfs report OF Novrnlb-~ g. 1876.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Secretary MetcaIrs Report.
Secretary Metcalf in his report says:
In my previous report l said nothing as
70 the causes leading up TO the action Of
the school board in passing the resolution
Of October II, and the effect Of such action
upon japanese children. residents Of the
city Of San Francisco. desiring 10 attend
the public schools Of that city. \ report
on this matter Will now be made. there
fore; and after describing the local public
sentiment concerning the recent disturb
ances with regard 70 the japanese. an ac-
count VIII be given. first, Of the boycott
maintained by the Cooks and Walters
Union Of san Francisco against Japanese
restaurants doing business in that city.
and second, Of the several cases Of as
sauits OF injury inflicted upon the per
sons or property OF japanese residents.
1t seems that for several years the
board Of education Of San Francisco had
been considering the advisability of es-
tablishing separate schools for Chinese,
Japanese, and Korean children, and on
May 6, 1905, passed the following resolu-
ton:
" Resolved. That the board OF education
/ is determined in its Efforts to effect the
/ establishment Of separate schools for
/ Chinese and japanese pupils. not only for
the purpose of relieving the congestion at
present prevailing in our schools, but also
for the higher end that our children
should not be placed in any position
where their youthful impressions may be
affected by association with pupils of the
Monaghan race
Separation Il Ordered.
And on October II the board passed the
| following resolution:
" Resolved, That In accordance with
article X, section 1862, Of the school law
OF California. principals are hereby di-
! rected 10 send all Chinese, japanese, or
| Korean children to the Oriental public
| school, situated on the south side of Clay
| street, between Powell and Mason streets,
on and after Monday. October Is, 1906
The action of the board in the passage
/ Of the resolutions of May 6, 1906, and Oc-
1 t0beT H. 1906. was undoubtedly largely in
| fiuenced by the activity Of the Japanese
and Korean Exclusion League.
Prior 10 the action of the league. the
/ board Of education. as / am informed, re-
| ceived many protests from citizens of
/ San Francisco. whose children were at
tending the public schools, against Japan
csc being permitted TO attend those
schools. These protests were mainly
against japanese boys and men ranging
from sixteen to twenty-five, twenty-three,
and twenty-fouT years of age. attending
| the primary grades and sitting beside lit
tic girls and boys of seven and eight
years Of age. When these complaints be-
came known 10 japanese residents. I am
| informed that some of the older pupils
left the primary grades.
'On the day when the order of October
II went into effect. viz, October Is, there
were attending the public schools Of the
! city Of San Francisco ninety-three Japan
csc pupils. These pupils were distributed
among twenty-three schools of the pri-
mary grades. There are eight grades in
the public schools of San Francisco, the
J first grade being the lowest and the
eighth grade the Observation-Disclosures of the
eighth grade going into the high school
Z o. ILL so,