The Washington herald., 1913-04-20
JAPANESE ISSUE
Up TO Johnson
Continued from Page One.

States. so that there is no violation Of
treaty rights in such a measure But
the treaty does guarantee them the right
to lease land. The Senate bill, however.
fixes the maximum term for which aliens
may henceforth lease land at three
years, and prohibits any renewal of such
leases to aliens. Consequently. ii Is gen.
orally admitted here. the terms Of the
bill would practically nullify this right
to the leasing of land.
CalifOrnians Are Obstinate.
That the Californians will be willing
to yield even on minor details Of their
proposed legislation Is by no means taken
for granted here. The temper of the
Californians. including members Of the
two houses, has been noticeably intoler-
ant and belligerent, in the opinion Of
observers here California members Of
CONGRESS reflect this attitude of their
constituents, and declare that there win
be no yielding anywhere along the line
in California
1t was recalled here yesterday that IL
was the firm conviction Of William A.
Taft, when he was in the White House.
that the nation must accept the prin-
cipie that State must yield to the Fed
eral government in matters Of foreign
relations He felt that it was the duty
OF any President when such questions
as the issue now pending in California
came up to insist that the State give
way to the interests Of the nation a. q
whole.
The decision Of the California Legisia-
ture to defer further consideration OF
the anti-Japanese bills until next week
has been welcomed by the President and
Mr.. Bryan as an opportunity for calm
discussion of the situation. The ad-
ministration regards this supervision of
the proceedings in California as a most
opportune breathing spell. Advantage
was taken Of the luli In the situation for
further conference with the Japanese
Ambassador, Viscount Chinda. He was
closeted with Secretary Bryan yesterday
afternoon, and was fully informed of
what the President had done He was
given copy of the Presidents message,
through Mr.. Bryan, to Gov. johnson of
California. The Ambassador likewise dis
cussed the disturbing manifestations In
Tokyo. He has already made clear to
the President and Mr.. Bryan that his
government is not in a position to cx-
ercise the same repressive influence at
home that 1t has exercised previously in
quelling anti-American demonstrations.
The tenure of the present cabinet hangs
upon very slender political threads, fol-
lowing period Of practically political
chaos.
The situation as a whole il taken most
seriously here-much more seriously
than was the case two days ago. One
calamity is most feared as a result of
the agitation.
The enforcement of. the Japanese alien
laws is already being threatened. ac-
cording to dispatches from Tokyo. in
reprisal for the proposed California leg
islation. The law provides that citizens
of countries where Japanese are allowed
to own land shall be allowed to own
land in Japan. under certain restric-
tons. The application Of this rule
would, OF course, absolutely bar
Americans. Many other Americans could
be forced of their present holdings,
especially business houses. by certain
other special rules and regulations. Much
of the land occupied by foreigners In
Japan is held under long term, or per-
petual leases.