The Detroit times., 1912-05-07
Ask TAFT To Sho0O
Treaty Wnh Japan

Now that private correspondents De-
tween President Taft and Col. Roose'
yelt Is being published, the Roosevelt
managers have asked for the letters
pertaining 10 the new treaty with ia
pan negotiated by President Tart q
little over a year ago. In that treaty
President Taft yielded TO the demand
Of Japan and eliminated the provision
which had been carried In the previous
treaty giving the United States the
right specifically 10 pass laws barring
Japanese immigrants. IN Is now
charged that this was done against
the earnest protest OF Col. Roosevelt.
The latter, ID Is known, wrote to Mr..
Taft expressing his belief that the ex-
istence OF this provision in the treaty
was a guarantee TO the United States
which might be valuable even TO the
point OF averting war with Japan. The
United states In the opinion OF Col
Roosevelt never will forego the right
10 regulate Japanese immigration, but
after permitting this provision 10 be
eliminated from the treaty Japan
might question the right OF the United
States 10 discriminate against Japa-
nese immigrants merely on the basis
OF their race. :
The history OF this treaty is inter
estlng. II happened that Japan's treaty
with the United States expired year
earlier than its commercial treaties
with other nations. Japan ever since
the Russian war has been ighting des-
perately for the removal of discrimina-
tions based upon race. The Japanese
insist that they are entitled TO be
accepted into the family OF nations.
An incident OF this fight Is the remov-
al OF the extra-territorial restrictions
from treaties with foreign powers.
In the past. for example, an American
citizen In Japan was not subject TO
Japanese courts. but was tried by q
consular official-an American. On
the other hand, an American citizen in
England Is tried by the courts OF that
country. Japan objects to this extra
territorial discrimination and the new
treaty to be drawn with the United
States was to change this status Of
Japan and to eliminate the anti-Japa-
nese provision in regard TO immigra-
ton. President Taft chose to take the
Japanese side and started out early to
secure the kind OF treaty SO much de-
sired by the Japanese. He knew that
the task would be difficult. owing 10
the anti7Japanese feeling on the Pacific
coast, but circumstances favored him,
for Just at this time there occurred the
contest over the location of the Pana-
ma Exposition between San Francisco
and New Orleans. The president en-
couraged this contest and when the
time was ripe stepped in and made
bargain with the senators and repre-
sentatives from California. They
were all called to the White House to-
gether with certain other prominent
people from, the state, and the presi-
dent undertook TO deliver the admins
tratien influence I'm favor OF the San
Francisco location, and even under
took to invite foreign nations TO par
ttcipate In the exposition, providing
the senators and representatives
should see that no opposition was
Stirred up or permitted TO arise to the
new Japanese treaty. There was a
conspiracy OF silence on the part OF
the administration newspapers and by
Senators Perkins and Flint, julius
Kahn and others. and the deal went
through. Meantime the president had