The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-04-12
WILSON HOP[STO
! AVOID WRANG[E IN
ALIEN LAND BILL
President, Still Firm in Stand
to Keep Hands Off, Urges
Law Acceptable to
Japan
NO INTERFERENCE
FROM WASHINGTON
Administration Not Worried
Over Possible Situation"
With Mikado

WASHINGTON April 11.-President
Wilson expressed today the hope that
the pending legislation in California
by which aliens Ineligible to American
citizenship would be prohibited from
owning land would not prove objection
able to- Japan.
1 He realizes that Japan is inclined
to view such Legislation as. contra
lidiction of the spirit of her treaty with
the United States, and while officially
unable to interfere in the situation. he
mia Legislature. cognizant of possible
international difficulties. would enact
a law that would prove acceptable to
Japan
JAPAN BARS LAND OWNERSHIP
The president talked informally
about the question in his semiweelxly
conference with the newspaper men,
indicating the delicate points involved.
While the present treaty with Japan
stipulates that citizens of each coun-
try. while travelling in the other, shall
| have a right to own houses and facto-
ries and shops and to lease land, It
says nothing about the right to own
| land.
On the other hand though the old
| laws of Japan against foreign owner
ship of land have been abrogated, the
imperial edfct necessary to put in force
| newly enacted laws has not been is
sued. so that American citizens can not
| own land IN Japan.
FED COVER n NEWT HELPLESS
While the Administered tion does not
construe the treaty as giving Japan
specifically the right to own land, it
feels that the agreement does guaran-
tee that Japan shall be treated on the
basis of most favored nation citizens
under the same clause as is contained
in many American treaties with other
governments
The president stated that while these
culties really proceeded from the do
mestic constitutional arrangements in
the United States.
dIe declared that while nobody for a
moment could challenge the constitu-
tional right of California to pass such
land laws as 1t pleased, in so far as the
federal government had gone beyond
its powers or domestic authority In
making treaty, just so far was it
liable to damage, but it really was
helpless in the situation.
WILSON SURE OF RIGHT BILL
The president explained that the
Japanese ambassador had acted 'fn a
snost proper and delightful' manner,
treating the United States as friend
of Japan, who would wish to see the
best relations prevailing. The Japa-
nese ambassador understood the prin-
ciple of states rights as applied in the
United States, but asked that the fed
eral government look into the legisla-
tion to see if anything could be done
to make it acceptable to his country.
Mr.. Wilson declared that with this
spirit the federal government has en-
deavored informally to use it's good
Offices to obtain an amicable adjust
ment of the question.
Reassuring word that the California
Legislature would so frame it's laws
SO as to save the federal government
from any diplomatic embarrassments
capital and the administration does not
believe it is likely to be confronted
with any serious situation.
Protest Nation Wide
TOKYO, April 11--Buei Nakano.
president OF the Tokyo Chamber of
Commerce, today visited the United
States embassy and outlined the views
of the Japanese business community in
regard to the California land owner
ship bill. He requested the charge
daffaires, Mr.. Bailly Blanchard, to lay
his arguments before his government in
Washington.
joint meeting OF the Chambers of
Commerce of Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama
and Tokyo has been summoned by NJ
Nakano to discuss the question.
NakanO Is widely known IN the
United States. having visited several
of the principal chambers of commerce
there in 1909.
A Joint meeting OF tho Japanese
political parties is also being planned
to discuss the situation.
The clause of the California bill pro-
viding, it Is said, for confscation of
property of persons unable to become
|naturalized American citizens has
aroused the strongest criticism here.
Japanese Meet for Protest
Especial Dispatch to The CalD
SACRAMENTO, April IL Japanese
who hold large land interests In the
state were here tonight and have had
conferences with representatives from
the valleys regarding the allan Land
bill Benjamin Johnson. creator OF the
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