Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-22
JAP QUESTION HAS
REACHED LAWYER
SQUADBLE. STAGE
Legal Disputation viii Follow
U. S. Claim That Treaty
Is Not Violated.
JURISTS IN CABINET HAVE
STUDIED AFFAIR CLOSELY
Mikado's Advisers Take Oppo-
site View and Hague May
Hear Arguments.

WASHINGTON, May 22.-The basis
of the state departments contention
that the California alien land act
does not in terms violate the treaty
of 1911 was careful scrutiny by all
lawyers of the cabinet of the Ian
guage of the law and the treaty.
Save upon the single point that in
depriving Japanese in California of
the right of inheritapce 10 real es-
tate they concludedf there was no
ground for complaint.
And in view of the expressed decla-
ration in the Webb law that it was
not to be construed as ahrogating any
treaty provision, which thereby ap-
peared to assure the Japanese against
unlawful escheatment of their prop
erty, 1t was felt that the national
government could do nothing less
than admit that the trainers of the
Webb act seemed to have succeeded
In their purpose to make it proof
against attacks in the courts.
Officials gather from the Toxic dis
patches that the negotiations are
drifting into the stage of pure dis
putation. where the International
lawyers on both sides will have ample
opportunity to exercise their full re-
sources in determining the exact re-
lation between the California law and
the treaty of 1911. Some expect that
the result will be an invocation by
the Japanese government of the right
of arbitration, guaranteed by the
special treaty of 1908.
TOXIC, May 22.-The Japanese for
eign minister is urging upon Viscount
Chinda, Japanese ambassador at
Washington. the necessity of pressing
the Japanese Interpretation of the
American Japanese treaty..
Secretary of State BryaG's proposal
to refer the question to referendum
in the State of California is not re-
ceived with favor here, as the result
lis considered doubtful
The reply of the United States gov
efnment to the Japanese protest m
regard to the Californian alien land
ownership legislation. in saying that
it does not involve any violation of
the treaty between the United States
and Japan, has caused great disap-
pointment in official and other cir
cles here.
Foreign Ofice Dissatisfied.
The Japanese foreign office con-
siders 1t unsatisfactory as it does not
mention any intention on the part of
the government at Washington to
take official steps to nullify the act
passed by the California Legislature.
Some of the newspapers have begun
to speak out freely. The leading daily
newspaper, the Osaka Mainichi, finds
amusement in what it calls the
American fear of Japanese agrees
sion. 1t says: "All Japan wants for
the japanese is equal treatment with
white men. Japan's progress has
reached the point where she will no
longer consent to discrimination
being shown against her subjects"
The general hope is expressed here
that the reply sent from Washing
ton is not Americas S final word, es-
pecially as the United States govern
ment by its intervention in California
inspired the belief here that it would
adopt strong measures in behalf OF
the Japanese.
Public opinion seems to be in favor
of a demand for naturalization as the
most feasible means of satisfying
Japanese prestige.
The opinion in official circles is that
the nation has been led to expect some
action by Washington, and If nothing
should he done from that parter the
Japanese public, which has remained
calm and dignified is liable to become
greatly irritated One official said
today:
Foreigners say that the Japanese
are supersensitive and superproud.
This may be true. We do not care
for the material losses incurred. The
present issue strikes us on our most
vulnerable point, namely. our ma
tional honor and any attack on that
is like plunging dagger into our
vitals"