The evening times., 1913-05-19
Referendum Stand of Cali
fornians May Give Off
cials Needed Opportunity
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
STILL ARE LACKING
Believed that Japan Bases Part ol o.
Protest on Treaty, but Grounds on
Which Objection Is Based stu Mat
ter of Conjecture-No Message Sent,

Washington. May 19.-The move.
ment in California to submit the anti.
alien act to a referendum vote Is I'M.
derstood to be viewed by the admin.
istration as affording further oppor.
tunity for a diplomatic adjustment OF
the issues between the United State.
and Japan.
1t has been assumed that because OF
the apparently Overwhelming senti.
ment In California in favor of Japan.
ese exclusion from land owning there
might n be difficulty in securing the 30.-
oOO signatures necessary to invoke the
referendum. Now. however. the ex-
clusion element itself, or rather It.
most radical exponent of the Asiatic
exclusion league, has taken un the
movement and the probability az slc-
cess Is greatly increased, in of1iciaI
Judgment.
Tension over the Japanese situation
continues to excite anxious attention
IN official and diplomatic quarters, but
tnere were no specific developments
at the white house. the state depart.
ment or the japanese embassy.
len OF the thirty days Governor
johnson has, under the California law.
to sign the alien land bill. have now
elapsed, and the impression ia begin
ning to gain ground here that the
governor will avail himself of the full
measure Of time. though he has de-
sa clared MS purpose to approve the
Webb bill. Secretary Bryan has not
communicated with the governor since
the receipt Of his telegraphic message
setting out his reasons for upholding
the action Of the legislature, but is
simply waiting for the final act Of
signature before making reply to the
japanese note protesting against the
legislation.
Whether the Jap. nese embassy
Of the full thirty day period Of grace
before making fresh representations
on this subject to the state depart
ment, depends entirely upon the j,1dg-
ment Of the foreign Office in Toxic, Tor
from this point forward all Of the
proceedings in the ne8otiations will
be lad referendum = 1t has been sug-
gested that althoushs~there may be
some preiimlnary-.Axc chaages before
can md no si stsesnies1i isssason for de-.
manding relief before the commission
of some action under the terms Of the
Webb law to the determine Of the ia
panese. In that case further con-
siderable delay is probable as the act
will not go into operation for a period
of ninety days after it receives the
dpRIONdl OI Lnc governor. ....
1t Is generally accepted that one Of
pan is that the California law ia in
contravention of the treaty of, 1911.
but exactly wherein. has not, thus far,
been disclosed. Governor Johnson's
last communication to the federal au-
thorities analyzed the treaty and the
law to the end Of showing that the
latest enactment is in no way con-
travention of the treaty. The first and
most fundamental issue. therefore, ap-
pears to be over this question Of
whether the law Is, or is not, contrary
to the treaty.
May Be First Clause.
While the japanese viewpoint has
not been made known from any off
cial source. yet 1t is believed here that
they consider the first clause Of the
law as the one contravening the spirit,
II not the letter of the treaty. This
first clause allows aliens "eligible to
citizenship to hold lands. AS the ia
panese are not. under the present nat
uralization laws. eligible to citizenship,
this clause specifically debars them
from land ownership.
Aside fro mthe issue on the tech
nical construction Of the treaty, 1t is
believed here that the Japanese are
chiefly concerned in the general effect
Of the legislation in placing them in
the position Of an inferior race. It
was pointed out here, that 1t is against
this. they have been contending since
the memorable visit of Admiral Perry
to japan. when they began the move
ment which later established them on
2 modern basis among the nations Of
the world. One Of their first steps was
to terminate the old extra territorial
system. by which the United States
and other foreign countries carried on
courts in Japan in order to try Ameri-
can citizens. on the theory that ia
panese laws were not sufficiently mod
ern to secure justice for foreigners.
The extra-territorial treaties were
Of Minister tKurine at Washington, and
this served % q start in Terminating
them with Great Britain, France and
other countries. It was regarded as
p distinct recognition that Japanese
law had reached a modern stage
whore there was no further need for
foreign courts, and as terminating q
system which Japan regarded as piac-
Ing on her reflection Of racial in
string equality in the matter Of land
ownership 10 regarded in official circles
- somewhat similar to this previous
movement Of japan to terminate what
they. consider badge Of inferiority
on their race.
Meetings arc Brief.
Some Of the diplomatic observers
express surprise that larger advantage
has not been taken Of those informal
amenities which frequently have a
powerful influence In supplementing
formal exchanges. Thus far the meet
lnHs have teen rather brief and con-
fined strictly to the business in hand.
This has afforded little or no oppor-
tunity for informal exchanges Of cour-
tesies, and expressions OF mutual good
will. It has frequently occurred in
the past during diplomatic negotia-
tions. notably at the time Of the Brit
lsh.American fisheries controversy.
that the informal and social side, Of
the exchanges contributed as much or
more than the formal exchanges to-,
ward bringing about q satisfactory
solution. s !. & ii. h. II ass ss
Faith IN Americans. M
I. Toxic. Nay 10 Faith In the Amer
ican people to see that Justice ID done
the JnpAnese Id the dominating note.
In the dlscussion OF the California
ellen land ownership Retaliation.
fContin1ad ON m - 4 - lsgi issf ~