The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-21
AGraveSt Results Feared If
California Passes Anti
Japanese Bills.
ROOSEVELT URGES
MEASURES BE KILLED
Report Shows Defeuselessness Of
San Pedro Bay-Legslature
Delays Action.

Never before have affairs approached
50 near to the point of a rupture OF
friendly relations between Japan and
the United States as they have within
the past few days.
This is not jingo talk II represents
accurately the viewpoint Of the Ma
tionaI Administration. It is known
that President Roosevelt fOresees the
I grayest consequences if the Legislature
Of California insists on passing the anti
+ Japanese bills now pending
He most earnestly hopes that the
Legislature viii accept the advice Of
Governor Gillette that the bills be killed,
not only in order that Japan may be
given the square deal, in view of the
carrying out by that government Of IT'S
end of the immigration agreement en-
tered into two years ago, but also for
the sake of international peace
Open to Attack.
The report Of the general stan on t0s
defenselessness Of San Pedro bay, Cali
fornia. given out today. shows how easy
it would be for Japan to obtain a base
10 this country. in the event OF war
from which it would be wen nigh inn
possible to dislodge her troops.
only little better protected. and ia
! the absence OF the battleship feet on
tine other side OF the world, japan. if.
she should strike quiellly-whioh is
habit she has-oould iufict irrepaE abe
injury along the whole coast line. ana
obtain an advantage tina would admit
tedIy require months 10 overcome.
1t is pointed out today that this e
/ CALIFORNIA; second offense. once be-
fore. only the swish Of the Big Stick
prevented the enactment Of similar
bills. Californians in washington gen
orally deplore the attitude taken BY the
more radical members Of the Legis-
Iature. while at the same time they are
open in expressing Their regrets thai
President Roosevelt did not heed their
request last summer to retain the bat
ueshfp feet in the Pacific ocean.
Roosevelt's RsPly.
The Presidents answer to this criti-
cfsn is that were the feet there now
.Japan might very readily assume that
the action OF the Legislature was con
7fved ar by the Federal Government for
the very purpose Of bringing on war.
The absence of the fleet IS OF itself an
assurance that the Federal Government
has had no part in the threatened legis-
: lstlon.
THAT the figures on japanese immi-
, grafton to the Pacific Coast which have
: been compiled by the Department OF
/, Commerce and Labor are authentic, and
that the figures compiled by the Jap
anese Exclusion League Of the Pacific
Coast are calculated 10 arouse un-
. justified antagOnism. is TIE attitude OF
the Administration.
The attention OF the White House was
called today 10 the statement Of the
I California people that Secretary Straus'
figures did not allow for japanese who
? are smuggIed into the United States
over the Canadian and Mexican Dor
t ders and by sea
! View in Capital
g While no statement was given out.
IL is known that the President ard the
I State Department are inclined TO hook
% upon the alarming figures OF the in
D crease Of Japanese immigration com
( piled by the coast people as unfounded
? The President is reported to have TOLD
{ his callers today that If he could ger
- the sensible people Of California o.
! thinking for themselves. they would be
. on his side and the agitation would
d be stopped.
I The authorities seem TO take the at
Z titude that the passage of the disputed
+ bills by the California Legislature would
s be the violation of a contract that that
{ State entered into two years ago. lH
j which it was virtually agreed that the
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