Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-05

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.--Far from
satisfactory Is the report made to tho
president by Secretary Metcah about
the Japanese problem on the Pacific
coast. The mission of the secretary
OF commerce and labor to San Francis
co had a twofold purpose; he went to
find the facts and to bring the Califor-
mans ITO their Senses" so to speak. In
the latter object he has failed. San
Francisco's attitude, if allowed to pre-
vail, would inevitably embarrass the
relations between this country and
Japan. 1t Is fortunate that the WASH
ington and Toxic governments have
enjoyed such cordial relations in the
past for they are confronted with a
knotty problem in the solution of
which each must deal with such un-
reasonable factors as race prejudice
and union labor.
The return of the president to Wash
lngton and his receipt of Secretary
Metcalfs report must soon be followed
by an official announcement, outlining
this governments course Delay in do
Ing this will embarrass the Japanese
government which has thus far given
every evidence of a sincere desire to
placate the people of Japan and con-
vince them that the United States will
deal squarely with their fellow coun-
trymen in the United States This was
accomplished in some degree by the
general circulation of Secretary Roots
cable dispatch to the American am
bassador at Toxic, in which appears
this pledge:
You may assure the government Of
Japan in the most positive terms that
the government of the United States
will not for moment entertain the idea
of treatment toward the Japanese peo-
pie other than that accorded to the
people of the most friendly European
nation, and that there is no reason to
suppose that the people of the United
States desire our government to take
any different course"
This dispatch was sent before Wis.,
count Aoki, the japanese ambassa-
dor at Washington, had filed at the
state department protest against the
exclusion of Japanese children from
the public schools of San Francisco,
and a request that the United States
see that Japanese subjects are accord
ed their full rights under the treaty
Of 1894 According to Japan's interpre-
tation of that treaty these rights in
clude the right of Japanese to attend
public schools of San Francisco under
the same conditions prescribed for the
children of other countries. The people
Of Japan were further quieted by the
announcement of Secretary Metcalfs
trip to San Francisco under orders from
the president
What Secretary MetcaIf Found
Secretary Metcalf reached Washing
ton last week. He refused to discuss
the results of his trip before submit
ting his report to the president. 1t is
known that the secretary found that
the agitation against the Japanese had
been started by labor organizations,
hut ha rxrac i,,ra wifi 70 xxyiHa
spread sympathy of Caifornians in this
movement to check Japanese immigra-
ton. The secretary found many who
are in favor of nipping in the bud
what they term "the Japanese prob
lem," and who resent the interference
of the federal government with the
operation of state law which pro-
vides for the establishment of separate
schools for orientals.
The people Of San Francisco contend
that the majority of Japanese who at
tend the public schools in that city are
18 years of age or more; they call at
tention of the undesirability of chill
dren attending schools with half-grown
men and women. 1t is true that many
of the Japanese students in San Fran
cisco are paying their living expenses
by working after school hours and that
many are older than the white students,
but this is not the primary objection
to the Japanese. If it were the Cali
fornians could pass a law fixing the age
limit for all children desiring admis-
sion to public schools. There are
strong indications that California is
preparing to segregate the Japanese in
all social relations. The first step has
been the exclusion of the Japanese from
the public schools. A Jim Grow car law
for Japanese, refusal of accommoda-
tions at the first-class hotels-all of
these are possibilities Of the future of
the Californians are left to their own
devices in the treatment of the Jap
anese.
While Secretary Metcalf was gath
ering facts at first hand in San Fran
cisco, Secretary Root was busy at the
state department looking up the law in