Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-03
VANCOUVER IS ARMED
Bitter Race Feeling Against
the Japanese.
new YEAR FIGHT SYMPTOM
One Killing Will Make the Trouble
Blaze Up.
LABOR MEN MEET IN PROTEST
Claim That the Police and City
Council Are All Afraid of Offend
ing the orientals.

RILAND. Ore. January 3-The Ore
gonian today prints the following dispatch
from its Vancouver, 3. c.. correspondent:
While at no stage did the fight between
the three city firemen and the Japanese
early New Year morning reach anything
like the dimensions of the September
riots, the iIlDident has revived the Bit
terest feelings. After all the explanations
and apologies made. both civic and gov
ern-nental, Vancouver did not believe it
could be made. All three victims are still
alive, though at least two are dsfgured
for life. Young Frost, a fine-looking attn
lete, had his nose sliced off by one of
the sword-like knives of the Japanese
The other two, though fearfully injured.
are recovering. Mcdonald was removed
to his home yesterday. while Anderson is
still in the Hospital with Frost
Story of the Trouble.
The three men, all Canadians and for
half their lives residents of Vancouver.
were the only white participants in the
fight. They had been attending dance
and were returning to their stations when
the trouble occurred. One of the three
was undoubtedly under the influence of
liquor, but the other two were perfectly
sober. Frost jocularly pushed Mcdonald
against the glass front of the Japanese
house and then the trouble started.
There were knife blades flashing every
where IN the dark" said Mcdonald in
telling of the fight. 1T was no fault of
the Japanese that we were not all killed
They tried to kill us, for we were only
three against score. and they knew very
well that we were not armed. We simply
fought back with our fists with the blood
scattering around until we we've blinded.
Asiatics All Armed.
Frost was first knocked 10 the
ground and it was while he vas help
less that the Japanese carved I'D his
face. 1t was merely an accident that
they did not cut off his head. for they
tried hard enough. 1 broke free finally
and ran toward the alley which ends
at the police station There / met a
sergeant and two officers. and we went
back The Japanese did not try to
justify their presence or their fighting
with knives. They simply fledt
only four japanese have so far been
arrested, and all are held on charges
of attempted murder. The most serious
feature in the popular view is that the
Japanese section is practically an
armed camp against the whites of Van
couver. Two thousand men live to-
gether there ready to resent the slight
est interference. The present instance
Is regarded as particularly nagrant,
because the young men were in uni
forms with firemen's caps. and for
aught the japanese knew they might
hoe lit AL;
correspondent concludes:
September Riots.
Vancouver has been a little ashamed
of herself since the night of the Sep
TENDER riot. but the frightful attack
of New Year morning is just now be-
ing regarded in some quarters as show
ing complete justification.
There is not any particular danger
of another big riot in Vancouver ex-
cept for just one thing-a murder
That is what the authorities are afraid
Of
Last night the Vancouver trades and
labor council discussed the japanese uues-
ton. There was large attendance of
laboring men. 1t was seriously proposed
that If there was no legal machinery by
which the police could get through all the
houses of the japanese town, to search
for knives and revolvers and thoroughly
dlSarm the Japanese, then the labOring
men should arm themselves with re-
volvers for cases of emergency The sit
uation is admittedly serious in the view
of the labor men. and the assertion was
made that the mayor and civic authori-
ties are fearful to act lest they should
offend the Japanese government or the
consul. The declaration was made that
Powell street Is an armed arsenal, and
that the Japanese are ready to fight with
knives and guns at the slightest provoca-
ton or excuse.
City Council Afraid.