The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1912-08-02
SHEBA ATTACKS
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
Says Tanaka's Statement sun
diplOmatio"-Latter Dodges
Effort to Get Reply.

~ ne recently lpuiis'"1 statement OF
Toichi Tanaho, one OF the secretaries of
the japanese foreign Office, to the CT
feet that children born of Japanese
parents in the Territory of Hawaii are
subjects of the MilSado and as such
are subject to three years military
service in Japan upon reaching the age
prescribed by CONSUMPTION, has caused
tremendous stir among the local Jap
anese aud the Japanese newspapers
have had considerable to say on the
subject.
Most outspoken of them all has been
the Hawaii Shinpo, which journal has in
the past treated of the subject of dual
citizenship at considerable length
Editor Sheba, with all due respect to
Mr.. Tanaka, makes no bones of stating
that the statement of the distinguished
visitor was undiplomatic in the extreme
and showed a lamentable lack of ac-
quaintance with the situation as it real
| " exists. He laments the all too prev
alent tendency of birds of passage
| to go off half cooked about important
matters before they have been here
long enough to secure an accurate un-
Outstanding of local conditions
| In an interview on the subject yes
terday Editor Sheba said:
Statement Uncalled For.
81 consider the statement of Mr.
Tanaka most uncalled for, especially as
he is an official Of the Japanese govern
ment who is here on what is more or
less diplomatic mission. 1t seems
highly improper that representative
of the japanese government should
come here to a United States Territory
where the laws differ fundamentally
from those of his own country, and say
that japanese laws should prevail
among the residents of this Territory of
the United States.
"The local japanese press has dis
cussed the matter of dual citizenship at
length for long time past and has gone
into the matter in detail and everybody
is aware that there is conflict between
the laws of the United States and ia
pan, as there is between the laws of the
United States and those of several of
the European nations
"The United States claims that all
born within the borders of her Terri
tory are her citizens, whereas Japan
and a number of European governments
claim that children of their subjects
born abroad are also subjects to the
country to which their parents owe al
legiance.
Question Unsettled.
"This question has not been settled
between Japan and the United States
and its status is not defined in any in
ternational law.
evan Dynels Citizenship outlines
p this question thoroughly and says that
leach independent nation has the right
Ito make its own laws and that when one
lnation claims, like the United States
THAT all children born within its Dor
Iders are its subjects, and the other
lclaims that children of its subjects born
lin another country are its subjects also
There is naturally a conflict and the out
come is the dual citizenship of-the child
But in cases like this there is a ten
Ideney among civilized nations to make
concessions on both sides and to arrive
at an amicable settlement, and it has
become the principle of international
law that the child should upon attain
ing IFS majority make declaration of Its
intentions with regard to citizenship
and this principle is recognized by
France. Spain. Belgium, Greece, Bolivia
lItalv. Portugal and Mexico.
"I believe that children of Japanese
parents born here ought to make de
claration of citizenship when the prop
er time arrives ana that this deciara
ton solely should govern their future
citizen ship.
Should Be Citizens,
~, have no doubt that there are j
large number of japanese now in Ha.
wdii who viii stay here permanently
and enjoy the privileges of United
States citizenship. | regard the ques
tion from a local standpoint and moi
from the international standpoint from
which Mr.. Tapaka views It, and / be
iieve that this is the way that il
should be generally regarded. 1t seems
TO me that ii tie japanese are born
here, grow up here, educated here and
earn their bread and butter in an
American territory they should remain
here and become loyal citizens of the
United States
~ feel sure that Japan won't en-
force her laws with regard 10 citizen
ship arbitrarily but that she will be
just as willing to meet the United
States halfway in the matter as the
other nations are who are confronted
by similar problem.
"When the matter is brought to the
official attention of the United States
and Japan l believe that Japan will
meet the former nation more than half
way because The japanese in the Ter
ritOry want TO remain here permanent
~, strong tendency in that respect
having developed comparatively Fe-
Gently, and with which sentiment Mr..
Tanaka has probably not become ae-
quainted daring his brief visit.
1.-THE japanese here were greatly
surprised at Mr.. Tanaka's statement
and are now considering the matter
with great interest and seeking for all
possible light on this most important
subject. Mr.. Tanaka may have been
misunderstood by the gentleman to
whom he gave the interview in ques-
tion, hut if he really said what he is
reported 10 have said it looks to me
to be a case of rushing in where an
gels fear TO tread -
Tanalra nauarts