Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-13
IRE OF SAN FRANCISCO.
There is Very Bitter Feeling
Against the Japanese.
MISSION OF Mr.. METCALF
Will Not Affect the Public School
Situation.
ARGUMENTS ON THE COAST
They Firmly Deny That the Federal
Government Has Any Right
to Interfere.

SAN FRANCISCO, November 13-Secre-
tary of Commerce and Labor Victor H.
Metcalf, who was sent TO San Francisco by
President Roosevelt to investigate the ex-
clusion of japanese children from the
schools attended by whites, has concluded
his work and will depart for Washington
to make his report. Secretary Metcaf has,
during his visit here, gone very thoroughly
into the matter and will take great
amount of statistics and facts bearing on
the case to Washington with him. He
heard complaints of the alleged boycotting
or japanese restaurants and other places
Of business; investigated cases of assault
on Jananese and the numerous street
Drawls between Japanese and white boys.
secretary Metcaf declined to say what
conclusions he had reached, or to make
any statement until he has made his report
to the President.
telegram from San Francisco indicates
that the people of the Pacific coast in
tend to stand firmly to their determine ton
not TO allow japanese in the same public
schools with natives. 1t says:
There is no more doubt that the school
board of San Francisco intends to stand
by its guns in the matter of compelling
japanese here resident to attend separate
the board will be backed up overwhelmingly
oy the public sentiment of this city and
state. Not only is California behind San
Francisco in this matter. but the entire
Pacific seaboard is behind California as
well. 80
Ihere is no question whatever that the
Ieenng against the Japanese Is rising fast
II Is already very nearly as strong as the
sentiment that forced the passage of the
Chinese exclusion act. The Chinese popu-
lation is actually decreasing in California.
while the Japanese population is increasing
by hops, slips and jumps
AS to any suggestion of practical federal
interference San Francisco Is more than
spunky. She is positively impudent Sec
rotary Metcalf," says one Of the most con-
sentative of the local papers, rs not, as a
United States official. entitled to any in
formation whatever in regard to our schools
What Is given is given as matter of cour-
tesy."
In short, the general tone of public opin-
lon here is that the treatment melted out
to the Japanese regarding school accom-
modations Is none Of the federal govern
ment's business. California does not be-
heve that President Roosevelt really in
tends to take it up seriously, She believes
that the sending Of Secretary Metcalf here
ostensibly to investigate and report, is
merely harmless and empty way of sooth-
ing the Japanese ire.
1t is throwing bone to hungry dog
one man put 1t.
Affects State Politics.
California snorts at the notion that the
government would for an instant interfere
in the present management of her schools.
BUT II California's confidence should prove
to be misplaced. should the President really
decide that separate schools for the jap
anese of San Francisco constitute a viz.
Ia NJ
take steps to put that decision into prac-
ticai effect. there Is no question whatever
that there would be an outbreak of wrath
more than sufficient to turn California
from a republican to a democratic state.
The school boards action is not merely
the deed Of narrow-minded, politically
subservient body. 1t represents the feeling
OF vast majority OF the population, re-
CARELESS OF party affiliations. In no other
act OF its career has the city's school boar
shown itself SO truly representative BODY.
California and the coast are solidly behind
II. Let the east make no mistake about
that. Also, let the east consider the argu-
ments put forward to justify the school
boards action.
1t will be news to most fasteners that
almost none of the Japanese school boys
are boys. Practically without execution
they are full grown men between the ages
of twenty and thirty. Yet Japan expects
them to be allowed to sit side by side, day
after day. with American boys, and, more
extraordinary yet. girls of tender years.
How" inquiries San Francisco, would Won
in the east like it If you were asked to send
your boys and especially your girls to
schoof with full grown men, even were they
Of the same racer"
Whatever answer the east may make
to this query. San Francisco emphatically
does not like it in the very littlest least, nor
does she propose to put up with it.
Japan's Own Custom.
The principal object Of the Japanese
who attend the pubic schools is to acquire
familiarity with the spoken English Ian
guage. San Francisco declares it most
unreasonable and unjust in every way to
ask teachers to spend a lot OF their time
that belongs to the children of San Fran
cisco for the purpose Of drilling English
into Japanese heads. There Is neither
legal nor a moral obligation resting upon
the city, it is declared, to teach English to
any alien-Slav, Mohammedan or Mongo-
Jan. But If you object that no objection
Is made on this account to the presence of
other foreigners in the schools, your San
Franciscans will retort that there are many
Japanese in the schools and few other
foreigners.
Moreover" he will add with that touch
Of significant acidfty with which he ap-
proaches every phase of the Japanese
question, IF we choose to teach English
to one nationality and not to another that
is our business and nobodys else" One
rightly or wrongly. takes the view that
to send his children to school with grown
up Japanese is no more or less than expos
ing them to moral poison.
Mr.. Morita, who Is a graduate of the
University of Toxic and was once a pro-
fessor In that institution, is now the editor
of the Soko Shimbun (San Francisco news
paper, a paper that circulates widely
he To- ~ DO pif