Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-20
BRYAN HAsTENs 70 SEND REPLY
OF UNITED srArEs WHEN
JOHNSON s,ohs BILL
SUGGESTION OF. COUNT TEST
pRosAskE 40 NEXT STEP
Future Nsseeiatisns to 1s Conducted
Without Rsfsrsnes to What casifor.
mia 10 Doing - May Do-ssvsra,
Days TO Eiapss Before Answer 10 Re.
esivsd From Tekie.

Washington, May 20.-With the
answer Of the United States to its
nrotest in hand. It is now up to the
Japanese foreign Office to take the
next step In the negotiations over the
California alien land act. 1t is expect
ed that the forthcoming rejoinder to
Secretary Bryan will be strongly aug
umentative and caulculated to result
in the conduct Of the future negotia-
tions on strictly legal basis.
It is understood that the state de-
partment Is looking to the Japanese
government or some Japanese citizen
to test the new law by recourse to the
United States courts. 1t may be sig
nificant to the drawing of another is
to begin the issue.
Only Way Open.
In his protest of May to the state
department the japanese ambassador
is understood to have made it clear
that the japanese government. finding
1t impossible to deal with the state of
California, was relying entirely upon
the federal government to insure what
he believed was fair treatment for Jap
anese subjects.
Probably that test to cover the Cal
ifornia land law will be resorted to.
The procedure in such cases would
be to allow japanese subject, threat
ened with escheatment Of his lands, to
begin action for an injunction.
Meanwhile 1t Is expected that several
days will elapse before the Japanese
re3oinder is received, In view Of the
fact that ten days were taken for the
preparation and reply to the origina.
protest.
chinda Receives Reply.
Learning thru press dispatches that
Governor johnson had signed tho
webb anti-ahen land ownership act,
Secretary Bryan telephoned viscount
Chinda yesterday an invitation to call
at the state department to receive the
reply to Japan's protest against the
measure.
The Japanese ambassador responded
Immediately and Mr.. Bryan handed
him the answer he had been awaiting
since May 8. He cabled the reply to
Toxic at once.
No indication as to the nature OF the
reply was made public by Mr.. Bryan
or viscount Chinda.
parlsys Hour With Bryan.
The secretary Of state and the am
bassador conferred earnestly for an
hour regarding the general aspect OF
the problem which they were trying
to solve. The opinions expressed were
tentative. The ambassador felt that
he must be guided entirely by the di-
rections Of the foreign office at Toxic;
he could only surmise what might be
the attitude Of the officials at home.
II was understood that both the jap
anese protest and the state depart
ment's answer would be withheld from
publication for the present on the
ground that 1t would be injudicious to
submit the delicate questions at issue
TO heated discussion In the newspapers
and at possible mass meetings.
Bryan Suggests Court Test.
Tn his answer Secretary Bryan is un-
derstood to have recounted the efforts
made by the administration to guard
against an infringement Of the treaty
rights Of the japanese. Officials be-
lieye this substantially has been ac-
complished thru the amendment Of the
original Webb bill, and that at any
rate. twill be easy for Japan to test
the issue in the American courts. This.
If is pointed out, would seem to re-
move the issue from one of treaty con-
struction, II the state departments
view is correct. to the broad field of
international law.
1t is. realized that the Japanese gov
ernment is not much concerned about
ihe exclusion of it's subjects from
America, for, they are needed in Man
churia. Korea and Formesa. Under
fs the intense national pride Of the
japanese, which has been touched to
the quick by the general development
Of anti-Japanese feeling on the Paci-
fic coast.
Official circles realize that negoti-
ations henceforth must be conducted
with extreme caution, but there is
general conviction that an amicable
solution Of the problem will be
reached.
Japan Opposes Laws Spirit.
II is gathered that while the Jap
anese allege technical violations of the
treaty@of 1911 by the California law,
these relate to minor provisions, Such
as that prohibiting Japanese from in
heriting property in California. The
real weight of objection is against the
spirit of the whole legislation which is
regarded as distinctly discriminatory
against the Japanese.
While it is not alleged that the
treaty in terms prohibits such dis
elimination. yet the spirit Of the con-
vention as well as the general prin-
ciples Of interna tional law are re-
garded by Japan as outraged by this
webb act. The mere fact that Amer
lea has entered into the treaty relation
with Japan is cited as an admission of
equality.
Troop Movement Explained.
Secretary Garrison pointed out today
that the movement Of troops from Fort
SIocuu1 n. =. and other eastern posts