Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-14
HaIf-Brother Talks of Case.
JAP LAB0RERS ARE HELD
over Two Hundred stay on ship
While Government Passes
on Status.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 13S-Two hun
dred and five japanese laborers who came
in yesterday on the steamship Korea are
detained on the steamer pending advices
from the Department OF Immigration at
Washington as to whether the local immi-
grafton authorities shall let them proceed
by steamer to British Columbia. Their
passports are for Honolulu.
The Korea is the first steamer to land
japanese under the new immigration law
which passed. immigration Commissioner
North and Commissioner ]. s. Rogers OF
Philadelphia and Harrison Nesbit assistant
solicitor of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor who are in this city on a mis-
sion OF inquiry, the nature Of which they
refuse to divulge, went down the bay and
boarded the Korea. Besides the Japanese,
they found in the steamers list ia Chinese,
ninety OF whom were admitted to this port
The others were bound for British CO.
lumbia-
WASHINGTON, April 13-Under the
regulations governing the entrance into
this country of Japanese laborers there is
no way Of preventing the Japanese from
Honolulu trans-shipping AT San Francisco
/ for British Columbia. It is evident from
inquiries that have been made by officials
OF this government that the Japanese, to
whom the Japanese government issues
passports to Mexico or To the Hawaiian
islands, have no intention of remaining
| there. Their destination. as the labOrers
| themselves have admitted on examination,
is the United States.
Recently several hundred Japanese la
/ borers were Intercepted I'm Mexico as to
! their intentions. Every one Of them said
/ he expected sooner or later to reach this
| country. Some Of those examined were in
| serious financial straits. They were await
! ing opportunity to get across the border
| into this country. The same is true OF
/ Japanese who are going to British Co
! lumbia. There is no work there for them,
I and they expect to get into the United
! States as soon as possible
The regulations governing the exclusion
/ OF Chinese laborers shipped in transit
through the United States to another coun-
try a photograph Is taken Of each indi-
vidual and the railroad or steamship com
pany carrying him is required TO give the
government a bond to prevent his escape
II is different with the japanese. No
photographs are taken and no bonds arc
exacted from the transportation companies
| II Japanese labOrer escapes from the
train or steamship while in transit the
government has no recourse. That many
Of them do take advantage of the Oppor
tunity afforded them 20 get into this coun
try is known officially. but there is no way
under the regulations TO prevent them from
embracing the opportunity.
Commissioner Sargent OF the bureau o.
immigE alton declines to discuss the sub
ject, but it is known that Secretary strau!
OF the Department of Commerce and LabO
is keeping in close touch with the situa
ton. He, too, is reticent Trouble is beini
experienced in handing the question, how
ever, particularly in relation to the Japa
nese immigrants who are arriving II
Mexico 1t is practically impossible L
prevent them from being Struggled acros
? the border and the government has n
means of identifying them after they reac
this country. The question il likely to be
I come more serious in the near future.