The Washington times., 1909-02-09
Serious View of Crisis in
California Taken by
President.
TERM WAR" Used
IN CONVERSATION
Administration Leaders Believe
That Next Step Must Be Taken
by Legislature.

Read between the lines. President
RooseyeIts telegram sent last night to
P. A. Stanton, speaker Of the CaIifornia
assembly, is hued with grave forebod-
ings.
The official Interpretation may prop
erIy be said to be a notification to the
people of California that if its Legis-
lature insists upon the enactment Of
drastic auti-Japanese measures, a rup-
ture of friendly relations between This
Government and Japan is most likely
President Roosevelt does not assume
the attitude he has taken because Of
any doubt as TO the outc ;me of acute
differences between the two govern
ments. for he has repeatedly tod his
callers that the United states can more
than hold her own against any other
nation, but he appears to be actins
upon the idea that what the California
Legislature is contemplating would be-
even in the minds OF disinterssted
Americans, a violation of the favored
nation clause" Of the treaty between
the two governments.
.The legislation would accomplish
nothing beneficial" he declares in his
telegram to stanton, and then adds with
a significance that can only be fully ap-
preciated by those who have recently
talked with him. 'and would certainly
cause some mischief and mignt cause
very grave mischief
Diplomatic Eotes.
The impression is becoming stronger
day by day that the exchange of dip
Iomatlc notes between japan and the
United States. recently referred to by
Foreirn Minister Komura, in the Japan
ese parliament, has proceeded farther
than has been believed and that when
the President insists that the California
measures would be considered an af-
'front.' by Japan in case OF their enact
ment, he spoke with a fun knowledge
of the nature Of these exchanges and d.
the results that would follow Cali
fornia's favorable action on the bills.
Almost everybody in high official lfe
but President Roosevelt raise their
hands in apparent depreration. when
there is talk OF Japan contemplating an
uItimatum. Recent of the President
callers quote him as having used -
term war in discussing the California
situation. He made il perfectly clear
to them that if California insisted upon
excluding the japanese, the Federal
Government would, OF course. back
them 10 the limit
Significant Remark.
The fact that the President told
caller yesterday that if a conflict WAS
precipitated between the two govern
uents. he would be at the front, pret-
Nv well established what is passiuG
through his mind, even If he had not
gone farther In pointing cut ihe
provocation that might be caused for
a rupture if anti-Japaness legislation
was insisted upon
The idea of high Administrator
leaders today is that the next step in
this grave international incident must
be taken BY the California Legisla-
ture. The sincere hope is that the
warning which the President has
sounded in his telegram TO Stanton
will be needed and en- opportunity
given for a working out of the CUES
ton as to whether the sreemeur be-
tween the two governments for the
restriction Of Japanese cOolle labor is
as effective as the Federal Govern
r,,e1r and the Iapauese claim lt lH.