Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-01
STATUS OF ASIATIC RACES
Right of syrisns and Turks to
Naturalization Questioned.
QUESTION FOR THE COURTS
Dr. Justin $. Kirrch Of New york
Consults Officials of state
Department I'm Interest
of SyriRns,

WASHINGTON, oct. SO-The Syrlsns In
the United states who believe that they are
threatened with being forced by the bu-
reRu OF immigration and naturalization Of
the Department OF Commerce and Labor
into the position OF an inferior race on
par with the Chinese, have brought their
appeal to Washington and are at the point
OF submitting their case as one of interna-
tlonal Importance to the State department.
Dr. Justin s. Kirreh Of New York is In
Washington in this behalf and has sue
ceeded in enlisting the interest Of Acting
Secretary Huntington Wilson assistant
Secretary Adee and Counsellor Henry NJ.
Hoyt OF the state department, whom he
saw today
An important development in the matter
was the production tonight of letter
written on october "a by Richard X. Camp
bell. chief of the division Of nRturaiizR-
ton. to United States Attorney Charles r.
Beattie at New Orleans suggesting to
him that he refrain from bringing nstur-
alization cases affecting Syrans before
courts, ETC., whose policy indicates its prob
able decision, contrary to that entertained
by this office, especially In view to the
fact that l have been unable to satisfy
you, who would have to represent the gov
ernment in these cases, that the constrdc-
tlon contended for is the true one"
Question for Congress.
Mr.. Campbell argues IN his letter that
should the courts generally adopt the view
expressed by the division OF naturalization
and should that view be contrary TO the
popular will, that will may easily find
expression through future legislation ex-
tending the right to become naturalized to
Asiatics Of the so-called Indo- European
type III, on the other hand" Mr.. Camp
bell goes on to state, "the courts overrule
the opinion that have formed. and admit
IIndus Turks. Arabs, syrians Persians
and other Asiatios. and the people of the
United states object to such a free Inter
probation Of the words white persons as
will add these peoples to the citizenship of
the United States II will be difficult
matter and certainly a very embarrassing
one for congress to find the means to give
expression to this feeling. Perhaps 1t
would be hard to find any better word
even now, than white persons to desis-
nate the peoples who may become natural
lied and thus, by implication, TO exclude
others. II would certainly be almost i'm
possible unless we are prepared to offeno
each of the oriental powers, to say III
terms who shall not be eligible. This has
been done in only one, case, that OF the
Chinese and 1 am quite sure that congress
will hesitate long before II will repeat such
legislation in relation 10 other orlehtal
powers some of which are In o position to
express their disapproval OF such a nature
in a more practical way than was China"
should Appeal to Courts.
Mr. Campbell expressed the opinion thai
carefully conceived view of the execu'
tive office charged with the duty Of super
yisinE the administration of the naturali-
zation laws would and should at least
be strongly persuasive TO the courts before
which such view is presented He sug-
gested to Mr. Beattie that the government
should oppose consideration of a petition
filed by an Asiatic and that II this posi-
ton is ultimately upheld by the highest
courts, proceedings could be Instituted to
cancel certificates already issued.
In other letters on the same subject to
other United States attorneys which came
to light tonight Mr.. Campbell appears to
have urged at length that a Turk or Syrian
could be assigned to the yellow race as
clearly as the Chinaman or a Korean. As
to Andrew ]: Ballet assistant United
States attorney at Seattle, he remarks
that 1T seems to me that a great deal
OF confusion has arisen in regard to the
construction to be placed on section 2l6S,
as amended Of the United States revised
statutes from the habit Of viewing il in
the light Of the very modern and very in
exact science of ethnology,''
Acting Secretary McHarg OF the Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor said tonight
that the departments position in the mat
ter was simply this: According TO it's
rules Of guidance In such cases these people
are not white within the meaning OF the
naturalization law, II the department is
wrong, then the proper place to decide
that question is In the courts, which alone
are competent to authoritatlvely deter
mine whether or not the law is being cor
rectly construed"
| Hnln,,,u Kidnnu Rennadv r.,llI rnrn nu,, go.