The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-22

| Cressy l.. Wilbur, chief statistician bureau
of census, Washington, D. C.
THE Church and the Industrial Order
GO minutes), the Rev. George Eaves, ID.
D., secretary Anti-Tuberculosis associa-
ton, Jefferson county.
Mine Rescue and First Aid Work. 600
mnutes), Miss Ethel Armes. author THE
| Story of Coal and Iron in Alabama"
, their intention to become citizens accord
\ ing to law
| In effect, the progressive republicans
now are proposing substantially the orisi-
nal democratic bill, while the democrats
are tending toward the original admins
| tration bill.
The Birdsall bill, which in its present
| form permits corporations composed of
aliens eligible to citizenship to own land
was called up by its author today for
amendment. Senator Caminetti the
| democratic leader, wished to amend it to
| give the privilege only to the corpora
| tions composed of aliens who had declared
| their intention to become citizens.
What is the purpose of an anti-alien
land bill?" asked Senator Loynton.
ITO keep out people we don't want here,
particularly the Japanese. replied
| Caminetti.
Then why not say so in the bill you
| propose here?'
Because the experience of this state
| with Chinese exclusion showed that laws
directed against particular nation would
not be upheld in the supreme court .
said Caminetti
"On the assumption that you intend to
keep out the Japanese" asked Boynton,
| why do you not say so by using the
words ineligible to citizenship would
| that be thrown out by the supreme
court?"
| ar +bi,lr rotu rorliaa f,,,,,;,a++; stn,,+
there may be some danger about it, and
L want to avoid all danger. Use of those
words would violate the treaty rights of
the Japanese"
Question of Procedure
On question of procedure, Caminettl
was not permitted to offer his amendment
atAonce, but will be given an opportunity
on Wednesday when majority leaders
will offer their substitute bill and the
question probably will be threshed out,
| Senator Gates expressed the views of a
| number of the administration leaders
when he said that no bill seriously affect
ing European capital should be passed.
1.-THE Japanese are the cause of the
whole controversy" said Gates and the
relief sought is from the Japanese alone.
| To pass a law against Europeans in
| order that we might restrict the Japanese
would be unwise and useless--worse than
the millions of foreign capital that are
needed for the development of our state.
The only alternative is a bill that strikes
directly at the Japanese.
| Gives Out Statement
Governor johnson gave out tonight the
following statement regarding the pend
ing alien land legislation. This is the
first statement the governor has made
on the subject:
u
why an act admittedly within the juris-
diction of the California Legislature like
the passage of an alien bill creates tumult.
confusion and criticism and why this
, local act of undoubted right becomes an
International question. OF course the
California legislature would not attempt
to eontravent any treaty of the nation
nor to do more than has been done by
the federal government itself and many
other states. To say that California must
do less, or be subjected to harsh criticism
and the charge of disrupting friendly rela-
tions with foreign powers is to deny to
California what has been freely accorded
to every other state in the union and
what has never been questioned with any
other state
| ''Our legislature is now considering an
alien land bill in general language and
not discriminatory. II terms are used
which are claimed to be discriminatory
those very terms long since were made
so by many enactments and by the laws
of the national itself.
Power Conceded State
Broadly speaking, many states have
endeavored to prevent the ownership
of land by those ineligible to citizen
ship. The power to pass such laws
IS conceded but Immediately upon the
exercise of this power by a great SOW
creign state a remarkable and inexplic-
able outcry is heard all over the land
end in other lands as we'll
1.-THE United States by statute pre-
vided that no alien or person who is
not a citizen of the United States or
| who has not declared his intention to
become a citizen of the United States.
snail acquire title to land. etc, and In
relation to the District of Columbia
the United States statutes contain the
| same inhibition.
"Arizona in 1912 passed its act that
10 person other than citizen of the
United States or who has declared his
intention to become such shall here
after acquire any land, etc, and this
statute though passed in 1919 did not
evoke storm of protest from well
meaning philanthropists In our land
or threaten rupture In diplomatic
relations with any foreign nation.
THE state of Washington prevents
the acquisition or holding of lands by
those who are incapable of becoming
citizens of the United States and Meth :
er the right nor the propriety of this
enactment by the state of Washington
was denied.
"Illinois has enacted that an alien
may hold title for the period of six
year and then if he shall not have be-
come citizen of the United States
proceedings shall be commenced for the
sale of the land and the proceeds shall
go to the state.
minnesota provides that no person
unless he be citizen of the United
States or has declared his intention to
tecome a citizen shall acquire land.
Missouri has a similar enactment.
Kentucky. Oklahoma Texas, all have
laws of like character.
I'VE of California ask, therefore,
should California-be singled out for at
tack when 1t is exercising the same
right that has been exercised by so
many states and by the United States
itself?
Japan, until 1910. had an absolute