Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-02-11
GOES FOR PERKINS
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DEFINES
HIS JAPANESE POLICY.
Important Conference Held With
Prominent CaIifOrnianS and SeCre.
faryO of State and Assistant. rieet.
ing Went Over Japan's Altitude
In Case of Adverse Legislature.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-As a re-
suit of an important conference on
the japanese situation at the White
House today President Roosevelt
will give to the public another state-
ment for publication tomorrow NOR
ming. The conference was particle
pated in by Senator Frank P. Flint,
Republicans; Representatives julius
Kahn. Republican, and Interstate
Commerce Commissioner Franklin
d. Lane, of California; Secretary of
State Robert Bacon and Assistant
Secretary of State John C. O'Laugh-
lin.
The conference was not long
one, and at it's conclusion the Cali
fornians declared that their mouths
had been closed by the president,
who had asked them to say nothing,
as he intended to make statement.
The state department officials also
declared that they could not talk.
The conference was followed by
another conference between the pres
ident and Secretary of the Navy Tru-
man H. Newberry and Secretary of
War Luke E. Wright, at the con-
clusion of which the direct, unequi-
vocal statement was made by both
secretaries that the name of Japan
or California had not been referred
to and that the discussion was an
unlmportant one, relating to a bill
in congress dealing with desterters
, from the army and navy.
The positive statements was made
by member of the party that not
one word was mentioned as to an in
timation from Japan as to how sch
might treat certain legislation in
California. Nor would the president
say a word toward clearing up the
remarks made by the speaker of the
California lower house that he was
in possession of information show
ing that the situation would become
critical if the legislature persisted
in it's course.
The fact that the state department
was represented in the conference
has excited more speculation than
any other feature and caused the
belief that certain representations
have been made by Japan as to how
she regards possible legislation in
California. Intimation was conveyed
that messages have been received
from Ambassador Thomas J. O'Brien,
our representative at Tokyo, por-
traying the feeling there. In reply
to inquiries along these lines Secre-
tary Bacon declined to talk.
One Of the matters before the con-
ference at the White House was a
letter which President Roosevelt
has written to Speaker Stanton Of
the lower house of the California
legislature. This letter, which was
mailed this afternoon and later will
be made public here, again sets
forth the attitude of the administra-
ton as to anti-Japanese legislation
and reiterates the unwisdom and in
opportunities of action of any kind
at this time.
Representative Kahn declined to
discuss his interview with the Presi-
dent but it is known that after his
return to the capital from the con-
ference he suggested to his collea-
cues in congress that time should be
given to Japan to test her ability to
keep her coolie labor out of the
United States.
He urged that if there should be
failure on the part of Japan there
would be time enough to act during
the approaching September session
of congress. During the day the en-
tire California delegation in the
house. with the exception of Rep
resentative James McLachlan, met
at luncheon and discussed the Jap
anese situation to greater or less
extent, and it is stated upon the au-
thority of those present that Kahn
was the only member in attendance
who manifested an inclination to
support the administration in it's
attitude toward state action on the
Japanese question. 1t was APPARENT
that while the delegation was dis
posed to be conservative, its SYM
pathies were largely with Califor-
MAS efforts to keep Japanese out
by means Of state legislation if it
was not done by the action of the