Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-23
HINTS At POLITICS
IN NPROPOSEDL LAW
President Wilson Shows Inside
knowledge on CaIifornia's
Desired Legislation.
OFFERS TO SEND BRYAN
TO CONFER ON QUESTION
kilograms Dispatched to Gov. John
son and Officers of Senate and
House-No Fear of War.


kilograms sent by President Wilson
this morning to Gov. johnson of Cali
fornia and the presiding officers Of the
senate and assembly Of the state legis-
lature hint strongly that political
game is back Of the attitude Of Gov.
Johnson and his followers in the legisla-
ture regarding the passage of bill pre-
venting ownership of land in that state
by aliens not eligible to citizenship.
which means japanese. Chinese and all
peoples of that race.
Only those who fully understand the
local situation in California will grasp
the meaning OF the Presidents words
that it is difficult from this distance to
understand everything and asking if it
will be agreeable for Secretary of State
Bryan to visit the legislature and CO.
operate with it in framing a law that
will not violate existing treaties The
telegram of the President to Gov johnson
was as follows.
april %, 1913.
Gov. Hiram Johnson,
Sacramento, Cal
Thank you for your patriotic tele-
gram. We find it So difficult from this
distance to understand fully the situation
with regard to the sentiments and cir
cumstances lying back of the pending
proposition concerning the ownership of
land in the state that l venture to inquire
whether it would be agreeable to You and
the legislature to have the Secretary of
State visit Sacramento for the purpose Of
counseling with you and the members Of
the legislature and cooperating with you
and them in the framing of law which
would meet the views of the people Of
the state and yet leave untouched the in
ternational obligations Of the United
States. WOODROW WILSON"
kilograms to the president of the senate
and the speaker Of the house of assem- bly,
are Of similar purport and very much in
the same words.
Gov. Johnson's Telegram.
The telegram of Gov. johnson, to which
President Wilson refers. was in answer
to the telegram sent yesterday by Presi-
dent Wilson appealing to the California
state and legislative officials not to bring
the treaties of the United States into dis
repute- The governors telegram is as
follows:
Sacramento Cal, April p 1919.
The President. Washington. D. c.:
Immediately upon receipt Of your tele-
s ram VI thl6 udte IL was transmitted to
both houses of the legislature. 1 think
may assure you that it is the desire Of
the majority of members of the legisla-
ture to do nothing in the matter of alien
land bills that shall be embarrassing to
our own government or offensive to any
other.
1T is the design Of these legislators spe-
to provide in any act that moth
ing therein shall be construed as affect
ing or impairing any rights secured by
treaty. Although from legal standpoint
this is deemed unnecessary. If any act be
passed 1t will be general in character. re-
lating to those who are ineligible to clti-
and the language employed will
be that which has its precedent and sane
ton in statutes which now exist upon
the subject.
II speak. I think, for the majority of
the senate of California, certainly / do
for the vetoing power of the state. when
| convey to you our purpose to cooperate
fully and heartily with the national gov
and to do only that which Is ad-
tended offense or invidious discrimination.
HIRAM w. JOHNSON
Meaning of Presidents kilograms.
The Presidents kilograms today are
believed in well informed circles to indi-
cate that President Wilson will win in
his contention with Gov. johnson and his
progressive followers in the legislature.
That Gov. Johnson has absolute control
of majority Of the legislature and can
have his way if he wishes to insist upon
the discrimination to which the Japanese
OBJECT so strongly there is little doubt,
but the President has played mighty
strong hand. it is believed, in suggesting
that Secretary Bryan be received in con-
Terence by the legislature. That the sug-
gestion will have to be accepted no one
doubts. and that Mr. Bryan will 20 to
sacramento is easily foreshadowed in ad-
vance OF the answer from the governor
and legislature. 1t is not prophetic, it
was predicted today, to conclude that the
visit OF Mr.. Bryan will bring such con-
cessions from the legislature as will re-
neVe the national government of any
charge OF standing still while interna-
tlonal obligations are trampled UPON
President Wilson has received adyices
from intimate friends from the state and
IN the state that Gov. Johnson Is seeking
10 play politics with the Japanese ques-
tion anu is trying to force the President
To intimate the example of Roosevelt five
years ago when the strenuous colonel
,airiy took the governor and legislature
ny the throat and forced them to desist
from legislation of the same kind that Is
uens attempted now, and instead put
.nIoush school law shutting Japanese
IRON IRON attending the public schools with
iittle white children, which they are still
doing. ~
Called Disregard of State RIGHTS.
II is known that ever since Roosevelt
useo the big stick on the Califoraians
even 70 the extent Of threatening to send
leoerai troops there to prevent the carry
ms Out Oh state laws violating the treaty
with Japan, the democrats In the state
nave made much capital out Of Roose-
Veits disregard Of states rights.
me democratic position has been a
thorn In the side of the republicans
ana progressives all along. If Gov.
!ohhson can compel President Wilson
10 ignore the right of the state to do
as IL sees mt and force a reDetition of
Roosevelt's big stick, it is urged the
democrats will no longer be nut in
position TO crow over the proeresaiyes
IL Is again pointed out that Gov.
Johnson probably wants to be LET down
easy In the fight which he has had
and that If he can involve the presf-
dent TO a greater extent than in the
past he Will be able to go before the
people and declare that the federal
government compelled the lerisIature
| to abandon the enactment of Ja
which the people asked for and 10.
| sired.
No Fear of War With Japan.
| Ii is positively known that tbe adn,r.
istration has no fear of war with Japan
growing out OF whatever the LEGISLATURE
does, even II Gov. Johnson and his back.