The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1909-04-22
THE JAPANESE RESTRICTION DOES NOT RESTRICT
"A Menace to White Labor
They Swarm this Coast
California Once Friendly Japanese Pay Dearly For Friendship

WHO tHuS surrepIlulouSlH ana lInldWluIly
enter the country. l do not know, Mr.
Chairman, that we can do anything in
this matter by talking about it, but it
seems to me that something ought to be
done either to enforce the law in its
letter and spirit or else cease to make
appropriations for service that is rap
idly coming to be q byword and a
jest"
What is true of the Mexican border is
true of the Canadian border. 1t is a
simple matter to slip across the line in
some unprotected spot and once here
they mingle with their fellow country
men with not one chance in a hundred
of ever being detected. That is why the
agitation will not down. Because in
spite of government sops in the way Of
promises to allay excitement, immigra-
tion OF this class of labor continues un-
diminished and white labor continues to
be crowded out of employment by this
The government will produce figures
to show that japanese immigration has
been checked but it should be borne in
mind that these figures relate only to
those applying for admission at ports of
entry and takes no account of those il
legally coming into the country.
There is another aspect of this Japa-
nese question which we cannot pass by
in this article: viz. the almost criminal
apathy which prevails among a large
proportion of our people as regards pre-
paration for armed conflict between these
two nations. God grant it may never
comet War should be the last resort
among nations and should never be
wage until every chance of maintain
ing peace with honor is gone. But there
are many thoughtful, intelligent men in
this country who firmly believe that
sooner or later the two nations, white
and yellow will resort to force of arms.
This might come about from several
causes. Both are commercial nations
striving for the supremacy of the Paci-
fie Modern industrial conditions have
made it necessary for each country to
seek foreign markets for their products
and each looks with longing eye on the
millions of the awakening East. No
man can say that commercial victory
will be won by either nation without re-
sort to force. The history of the world
spells differently.
We are living over volcano. Our
people who have on this coast come into
direct competition with the japanese in
a struggle for existence will not always
endure the unequal struggle. They suf-
fer much before the upheaval comes but
r,imblings of an impending explosion
have been heard in several states. In
the legislatures of California and Neva-
da. In the activity of the Oriental Ex-
clusion League. In score of ways the
people have given evidence of their dis
content. 1t needs but a little more to
throw this volcano into active eruption
and plunge the nation into war.
And as we have always done, we as a
nation sit idly by, relying on our past
prowess, and our vast resources to pull
us through somehow. Years before the
civil war broke out, far seeing men saw
it coming. Yet the Northern people
closed their ears to the storm warnings
and allowed Southern sympathizers high
in the councils of state to prepare for
the struggle while they did nothing.
The blowing up Of the Maine which
sounded the call to arms in the war
against Spain found us in wretched
state of unpreparedness. Had strong
narintime nation been our opponent in
stead of little, weak one more unpre-
pared than We, Que shudders to think
the injury that might have been in
flicted upon us.
Japan has demonstrated to the world
that when she strikes she strikes with
unerring aim. Not for nothing is she
eentralizing her hordes on the Pacific
slope. Is it not significant that they
prefe the Pacific coast in spite of all
the agitation, against them which they
cannot help but feel, to the East where
they are still called our "little brown
cousinsf" Is it for nothing that every
foot of territory is mapped and photo
graphed by themY Two years ago a
graup of japanese appeared in one of
the Southern California harbors, and os-
tensibly engaged in the fishing indus.
try, Day after day their little boats
rocked and tossed upon the blue waters
of the Pacific and darted here and there
in restless energy. This continued until
they were discovered taking soundings
at different points in the harbOr, when
their fishing suddenly ceased. A few
weeks ago humble Jap applied for, and
obtained position as a house scullion
in the residence OF gentleman living
on Grays Harbor In a short time he
quit his job because he had been ordered
to join the Japanese legation at wash
ingtOn, D. c. Was ii because he wa.
near strategic point Of entry 10 th,
Puget Sound country that a japanese
gentleman of high rank would scoul
pots and pans in the kitchen for few