New-York tribune., 1912-01-30
JAPANESE EXCLUSION
Hamilton Holt Says Dillingham;
Bill Means That.

Bill Means TnaJ.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: DO you realize that there Is pro-
vision in the Dillingham; bill reported "a
vorably by the Committee on immigration
to the Senate on January 1s which, II en-
acted, Will exclude the Japanese from the
United States, as the Chinese are now ex-
cluded? How will Japan take this new
slap in the face? Lesser insults have led
to war The dangerous paragraph is THIS:
Section 3 The following classes OF
aliens shall be excluded from admission
into the United States: All idiots, imbe-
Giles. . . prostitutes contract Ia
bOrers, . persons who are not eligible
to become citizens of the United States by
naturalization"
Exceptions follow for professional men.
travellers, etc.
The important thlng~is that instead Of
excluding Chinese by name it widens the
exclusion by saying persons not eligible to
become citizens by naturalization Now
who are those not eligible to become oiti-
zens by naturalization? They are Chinese,
as every one knows, but they are'also Jap
anese, Hindus and Malays. BY the law OF
1869. as amended I'm 1875, only these aliens
can be naturaized:
"The provisions OF this title shall apply
to aliens being free white persons and to
persons Of African nativity and Of African
descent"
BY n decision OF the courts Syrlans and
Armenians are white, but japanese chi
nese. Hindus and Malays are not white.
They are not allowed naturalization IN TINS
country or in Hawaii. Only their children
born In this country can become citizens.
Under the existing law Japanese are thus
excluded from naturalization, like Chinese,
hut they are not excluded as immigrants.
Under this bill, If enacted, they cannot ne
allowed even admission to this country un-
less they belong to the excepted and IA
vored classes.
Ever since Commodore Perry opened
Japan to the world, in 1853, Japan has let
no opportunity pass TO express her grati'
tude and to show her friendly feelings 10
tho United States can recall no instance
since the Shmonoseki affair in which Ja-
pan has ever given the slightest ground for
Just offence to the American government
or people Until the end of the Russo
japanese war our cordiality to Japan was
equally manifest. Then began the contin-
uous pin pricks which have eliminated IN
this outrageous Dillingham; bill
First California passed law segregatlng
the Japanese I'm the schools, as II they were
not fit 10 associate with white children.
That stirred up Japan to strong protest
but It ended with Japan restricting all Inn
migration TO this country, so that now there
has been an excess OF Japanese returning
from the United States over japanese COM
ing 10 the United States by about three
thousand a year Since the California out
break uu to the first of last December the
excess of laborers returning has been $685.
out OF a total japanese population or O'"'
I'm the Hawaiian Islands and $1,000 on the
mainland. Now even students find II dim
cult 10 obtain permission to come here
so ready was Japan to avoid trouble with
us. Indeed. when President Roosevelt sent
the American fleet around the world Japan
apent 100000 TO entertain IT and show
hor good will She has shown similar hos
pltality TO our delegations of merchants
and others who have visited the islands.
But the pin pricks have continued. There
was the current report that japan had
secret treaty with Mexico against US ana
vag to be allowed a Pacific port There
were the repeated speeches OF member OF
Congress formerly in the navy, declaring
that japan was waiting the near time to
seize Hawaii and the Philippines and even
the Pacific slope. Then came Secretary
KnoT's proposal for the naturalization OF
the Manchuran railroads, which appeared
To seek TO deprive Japan Of rights she had
gained by the treaty Of Portsmouth. and
To destroy her preponderant influence In the
border state which faced her Corean IRON
tier. Then came the extraordinary proposal
from bankers, originating here. that TOUR
powcrs-thc United States, Great Britain
France and Germany-should loan China
X50COo.C1O. the interest 70 be guaranteed by
practically all tho unhypothecated re-
sources of Manchuria and the provision
added that China should 80 10 these four
nations for any future loans, thus dethron-
ing japan from her primacy In Manchuria
and all China.
II is not strange that the Knox plan NJ
naturalization and the proposed four power
loan should have much offended Japan. II
seemed 10 her as II We. who have only a
commercial interest I'm Manchura. were
trying 10 drive her out from where her In
tcrcsts are also political and vital. Much
more will she he offended II We are not
satisfied with her faithful consent to re-
strict emigration 10 this country, but mean
definitely by law to exclude her citizens.
have lust returned from three months
trim 10 Japan. While there | learned all
could concerning the foreign policy or
Jauan. with especial reference to the peace
of the world | have not the shadow OF a
doubt I'm my own mind that the one hope
and prayer Of tho Japanese Is TO be let
alone by tho other nations OF the world
so as 10 work out I'm peace their great edu-
cational, business and political reforms at
homo and abroad and TO assimilate Corea
and maintain their primacy in Asia. Even
now they have only the best feelings tow
ard the United States and Will do anything
we want. provided they can do 1t with
dignity
Janan is already ono OF the five great
world powers, measured by any standard.
II will unuuestionably be the dominant
force I'm Asia for years to come, and, above
all Il shares with us the Pacific Ocean
which is destined to control the worlds
future civilization. There Is no nation on
the faco of tho globe with whom II Is more
,mnortant for us to be on good terms than
with Japan.
There are other Objectionable provisions
IN the bill. but this involves international
hatred and endangers peace, and its char
acter should he Immediately exposed.
HAMILTON HOLT.
New York, Jan. %. 1872
STATUTES ON TRIAL.