The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-05-06
JAPs DON'T like US
BITTER FEELING TOWARD AMER
IcANs LONG KNOWN BY ARMY
AND NAVY MEN.
WAR is CERTAIN SOME DAY
CALIFORNIA; Attitude Toward orlentaIs
Sure to Cause Clash, Sooner or
Later-Hoid Washington Respon-
slbie for Act of ANY State.
RY GEORGE CLINTON.

f.
Secretary of State Bryan have learn
Japanese people do not like the Amer
leans. Members of congress do not
regard it as at all likely that Cali
fornia's attitude towards the owner
ship of land in that state by the jap
ai1ese viii bring on war between
Japan and the United States, but from
what members Of both houses say it
is known they do believe that If Cali
fornia goes to the extent which she
promises to go in forbidding owner
ship of her land by the Japanese
alien. we will have a commercial war
with the Japanese that possibly may
be- disastrous.
Ii is known definitely that army and
navy officers believe that ultimately
this country will meet Japan on the
seas and on land. Judging from the
tone of what men of the two services
say, their belief that one day we are
to have serious trouble does not arise
from the instincts of their profess
sion," but from knowledge which they
with Japanese naval and military Of
ficers in the east, and from better
understanding of the feeling Of the
Japanese people as whole than it is
given to the American layman to
have
Seemingly there is little chance for
a long time that matters will come
to an issue between this country and
the oriental power. In all seriousness,
with jingoism entirely apart and with
every allowance made for the prompt
ings of the military spirit of Ameri-
can soldiers and sailors, it is felt by
officers here that unless something
curing causes for friction, one day
matters will come to an issue which
ought to be avoided
BIames Washington.
If the Japanese people do not under
stand the limitations of federal pow
er in this country, it is not because
their government has not explained it
to them. When California began to
start trouble for the United States
five years ago, by trying to make race
distinctions in its public schools, the
Japanese government told its people
just why the United States as whole
was not to blame. When this trouble
was aIlayed it was said that the ranks
of the Japanese understood all that
their government had told them, and
were angry only at California
Now the administration is being told
that the Japanese people do not un-
derstand the states right theory of
government, and that they hold Wash
ington responsible for everything that
California or any other state does.
Ambassador Chinda may not have
told President Wilson that the people
of Japan outside of the government
circles are in an ugly mood toward
the United States, but he did not have
to give the information, for the ad-
ministration knows it through other
sources
Japan whipped Russia soundly, and
since that day no subject of the east
ern empire can understand why any
in any way inferior, socially, physical
ly or racially. Immediately following
the close of the Japanese war Amer
lean naval officers coming back to this
( country from the eastern service, said
that the Japanese officers actually
were oYerbearing in their manner to-
ward Americans. 1t was Theodore
RnnGnUalf uyhn oh
between the two countries which were
at war, but this fact did nothing to
change the attitude of Japanese serv-
ice men toward American service men.
The trouble went back of the war, and
officials here hold it goes back OF
the war today, for it springs from the
law of this country which excludes
Mongolians from citizenship.
Trouble 10 Personal.
The Japanese claim that they are
not Mongolians, and that they are
excluded under the law, and that if
test case should show that they are
not, law should be passed to make
exclusion certain. The trouble be-
tween the Japanese and the American
is personal.
Five years ago Theodore Roosevelt
believed that war with Japan would
come unless California receded from
the position which it had taken in the
school matter. Some of the California
members OF congress, one in particu-
lar, a senator, had opposed the Roose-
welt administration in its attempt to
get more battleships. The minute the
trouble seemed likely with Japan
these Californians were ripe for it,
and did not seem to think that there
was any possible chance that the de-
spised fastener could meet the Amer
lean on the sea with any hope of sue
cess for the eastern arms. The an
tagonism which some of the Cali
fornians had shown to an increase in
the navy gave Colonel Roosevelt an
opportunity for some direct personal
remarks to men who he said were will
ing to keep their country unprepared
for trouble, and then at the first OPP
1--t- ~ -. 4. 4