The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-03

portant issue, the exclusion Of Japanese
coolie labor from the United States.
Perkins Speech ORends.
Yet. at the very moment when the sd-
ministration and the California delegation
we're in agreement when self-restraint ano
the preservation OF good humor were
necessary to insure a continuance Of har-
monious relations, Senator Perkins. the
leader Of the delegation, delivered semi
public address in which he predicted that
war was inevitable between japan and
the United States. Friends Of Senator
Perkins are chagrined and Inundated
over this unexpected outburst, and can
not understand the motive that actuated
it. 1t was said yesterday that his predic-
ton would have come with bad grace at
this time from any member of the Cali
fornia delegation, but the fact that sena-
tor Perkins is a part Of the treaty-mak-
| ing power Of the government accentuates
the offense.
| According to Californians, the school
question is Of minor importance In the
differences growing out of the increase OF
the japanese population of the Pacific
/ Coast. These differences are industrial
and racial. but mainly industrial. The
labor element controls San Francisco po-
| litically, and its principal object is TO Sc
cure the exclusion Of japanese coolies
! from the United States With that as a
quid pro quo, the labor element and the
! people of California generally, 1t is as
serted, would have been willing TO make
a concession on the school-separatiOn
question. The declaration is made. how
ever, that President Roosevelts STRIFE
lures in his special message on Califor-
MAS attitude toward the japanese an
| gered the people IL the State and brought
them to a defiant state OF mind, which
resulted in the continuance Of the sensa-
tional statements that have produced Ill
feeling in japan II is well understood in
California that the President desired to
emphasize TO Japan that the Federal gov
eminent had no sympathy with the dis
elimination against japanese subjects.
/ but the Coast people hold that he was
| little too hard on them IN making plain
| his attitude. Resentment OF the Presi-
dents criticism is given as the main rea-
son for the continuance Of the anti-Japa-
nese agitation. II Is asserted that the
| school question can be adjusted easily.
/ and now that the California delegation Is
/ IN a better humor since IT'S visit TO the
I White House, the feeling is growing that
an amicable agreement will be reached IN
/ this matter at an early date.
Repeal Of Law Expected.
The California legislature Is in session,
and some Californlans here are inclined
/ TO believe that when its members under
stand that the exclusion Of japanese
coolies can be obtained by a change in
the school law. the law will be repealed
or modified The law provides for the
/ segregation Of Caucasi and Monaghan
school children, but IL is contended by
! some officials that japanese are not Mon
/ goIians, and II the San Francisco school
board adopts that view, the separate
school question can be adjusted without
| resort TO the legislature
/ Senator CuIlom, OF Illinois. chairman OF
/ the Foreign Relations Committee, had a
/ talk with the President yesterday When
/ he left the White House he said:
/ All this war talk is tomfoolery. We
are not going TO fight with Japan or any
| other nation, and any one who dellber-
| ateiy asserts that We are is either mighty
/ foolish or is trying 10 make capital Of
| some sort Of a scare We are not on the
| tfV VI o%li'NS AoHblr win any AdtlOA
/ on earth We should attend to our own
! business and quit talking about war. 1t
/ is the continual talking about trouble that
/ sometimes brings IT, Ii Is perfectly ride
/ ulous 70 imagine that two great nations
/ like the United States and Japan are go
/ ing TO resort 10 arms over such a small
matter as the school question in San
/ Francisco There IS nothing IN IL. and
| I'd like 10 20 20 war with Perkins and
! the other gentlemen who are making a
mountain out Of q mole hill.
/ President Roosevelt went horseback rid
| ing yesterday afternoon. Even tbs White
House messengers declined 10 become ex-
] cited