The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-27
Japan is in Ugly Mood and
Officials Regard Situation
As Very Grave
OPEN BOYCOTT AGAINST
JAP RESTAURANT KEEPERS
Department of Justice Has Instituted
Injunction Proceedings to Prohibit
Exclusion of Japs From
Public Schools.

Washington. October 26-President
Roosevelt tonight directed Victor II. Met
calf. secretary of the department of COM
merce and labor, to go to San Fran
cisco and make thorough and complete
inquiry into the situation affecting the
exclusion of japanese children from the
schools provided for white children, and
the determination to place Japanese pupils
in separate schools
The President is anxious to obtain at
first hand from a cabinet officer who is
acquainted with local conditions in San
Francisco, full information affecting ey-
cry phase of the subject. The President
feels that every effort within the power
of the administration should be exerted
to see that all the treaty rights claimed
by the Japanese for their people in the
United States should be respected.
The determination to send Secretary
Metcalf to San Francisco was one CT the
results of the request made by Viscount
Aold, the japanese ambassador, who at
a conference with Secretary Roo5 yes
terday, asked in behalf of his govern
ment, that the Japanese subjects in Cali
forna be accorded their full rights under
the treaty of 1894, including that Of the
children to attend the public schools.
Want Treaty Enforced.
The dispatch of cabinet officer on
such a mission, it was argued, would
demonstrate to the Japanese the evident
sincerity of this government iii dealing
with the whole subject, and its desire to
show that every effort Is being made to
get at the facts. Mr.. Metcalf will leave
for San Francisco tomorrow. 1t is hardly
likely that any report from Mr.. Metcalf
will be available before the President
leaves on his Panama trip, although Mr..
Metcalf may send some of his informa-
ton by telegraph soon after he arrives
at San Francisco.
1t is hoped that the expressed desire of
the administration to secure the treaty
rights of the Japanese will tend to allay
the ianti-American feeling in Japan until
the whole matter is automatically ad-
justed.
Restaurant Keepers Boycotted.
Incidental to the inquiry in the school
question, Mr.. Metcalf will pay some at
tention to the charges made by Viscount
Aoki to Secretary Root. that Japanese
restaurant keepers in San Francisco have
suffered indignities. At least seven or
eight reports have been made concerning
a boycott inaugurated against Japanese
restaurants, and these reports state that
agents have been posted to prevent
patrons from entering.
japanese officials in Washington say
that they realize that these demon
strations, and the exclusion of the school
children are acts local in character, but
that it is hard to convince the people
of Japan that the central government is
not responsible for them.
A cabinet member said today that the
general opinion of the cabinet was that
the situation was exceedingly grave, and
would require the most delicate treat
ment to prevent an open rupture The
President is doing all in his power to
show the Japanese that there is no gen.
eral feeling against the race. and ex-
pressed qualification when he learned
through Ambassador Aoki that the Japa-
nese press is, for the most part, at
tempting to check the feeling against
Americans.