The Delta independent., 1913-06-06
The Worlds Most Menacins Problem
Golfers Magazine)

The question involved in the Califor.
mia Anti-Alien Land Law is not ~
today alone. 1t is for generations to
come. 1t is not a Japanese question
alone. 1t is Chinese question, a
Hindu question. Korean question,
a Syrian. and armenian question: 1t
is not a matter of the United States
Australian question, South American
question, Mexican question, South
African question, a New Zealand ques-
ton.
1t is a world question 1t is a prob
lem for all time.
1t is local outcropp.ng of the great
est of world problems-the riddle of
the intermingling of races.
1t can not be settled on the narrow
basis of any treaty with Japan, nor
ifornia, nor the feelings of the people
of all the States on the Pacific coast
1t ought not to be adjusted by the
people of the United States in igno
rance, nor prejudice, nor with refer
ence to political platforms, nor the
demand for cheap labor.
1t can not be lightly sighted Off
1t is an irrepressible struggle. 1t will
persist for ages. Its complexities and
it's menace are bound to become near
er and more menacing as every in
vention in transportation and every
advance in commerce brings white
men and brown men and yellow men
into closer and closer contact with
each other
There are certain principles of
right and wrong which enter into it.
These must be studied. They should
be canvassed in Washington, Tokyo,
Peking, Calcutta, Delhi, Melbourne,
Sydney, Cape Town, Johannesburg,
New York, London. The final adjust.
ment, if one can be arrived at, must
be made with reference to these prin-
ciples of right an dwrong.
Let us consider the attitude of Jap
an in the premises. The japanese
are a fine and strong people. They
are very proud They have just as
much reason to be proud as We have.
They have a very ancient and splen-
did civilization. They are poets and
artists and scientists. They have a
fine system of ethics, and some vir-
tues which they can teach us. In
patriotism, in enterprise, in efficien-
cy, all along the line of modern life,
they compare favorably with all other
peoples. They are not inferior to-
us-let that be admitted at the outset.
So long as we act with reference to
them on the theory that they are in
ferior, we shall be wrong. They think
themselves superior to us. We think
ourselves superior to them. That is |
the natural attitude of the mass OF
the people of every land. But in the
last analysis the Japanese will be en-
titled to the verdict that they are
Just as able, just as efficient, and just
as good as we are.
What reason can we find. then, for
making laws which will tend to keep
the Japanese out? Let us see what
our destiny is and how it must be
worked out, determine what our prob |
lens are, and see what effect the in
coming of the Orientals would have on
our affairs:
We of the great Caucasian nations
especially the English speaking ma
tions, have unreseryedly committed
We are more and more accepting dem
ocracy as the natural order of things.
We have very dreadful problems to
work out through the instrument of
the ballot. The ballot rests on equal |
ity of rights, of more or less common
views and common interests among
the people. Voting is species of con-
ference. Minds meet and settle
questions in elections no less than in
town meetings.
A democracy is people who reason
together and express their decisions
by votes. If they do not speak the
same language, if there exists a body |
of matters on which they can not
come to a mutual understanding, II |
the mental gap between great factions
among them is too great to be bridged, |
If for any reason there exists any |
irreconcilable antagonism among |
them, if great bodies of them are in
economic warfare, the democracy can
not exist.
That is why we are already in such
deep difficulties with our democracy.
We have many antagonistic classes.
We have trying times ahead. 1t Is !
sure to be hard for us to weather the