The Washington herald., 1913-12-28
Col Roosevelt Believes Cali
fornia's Attitude Against
immigration Of Asiatics Is
Fundamentally Sound and
Perfectly Proper.

get into active communication with the
State authorities. There has always been
a strong feeling in California against the
immigration of Asiatic laborers, whether
these are wsge-workers or men who oc-
cupy and till the soil. believe this to
be fundamentally a sound and proper at
titude. an attitude which must be in
sisted upon, and yet which can be in
sisted upon in such a manner and with
such courtesy and such sense of mutual
fairness and reciprocal obligation and
respect as not to give any Just cause Of
ofrense to Asiatic peoples. In the present
state of the worlds progress it is highly
inadvisabIe that people in wholly diff
ferent stages of civilization, or Of wholly
though both equally high, shall be
thrown into intimate contact This Is es-
pecially undesirable when there is a diff
ference Of both race and standard Of liv-
ing In California the question became
acute in connection with the admission
of the japanese. 1 then had and now
have a hearty admiration for the Japa-
nese people. l believe in them; respect
their great qualities; 1 wish that our
American people had many OF these
qualities. Japanese and American stu
dents, travellers, scientific and literary
men, merchants engaged in International
trade, and the like can meet on terms OF
entire equality and should be given the
freest access each to the country of the
other. But the japanese themselves
would not tolerate the intrusion into
their country of a mass of Americans
who would displace Japanese in the busi-
ness of the land. l think they are en-
tirely right in this position. l would be
the first to admit that Japan has the |
absolute right TO declare on what terms
foreigners shall be admitted to work in
her country, or to own land in her coun- |
Try, or to become citizens Of her coun- |
try. America has and must insist upon
the same right. The people Of California |
we're right in insisting that the Japanese |
should not come thither in mass, that
there should be no influx of laborers. of |
AGRICULTURAL workers, or small tradesmen |
in short, no mass settlement or immi- |
grafton.
The Japanese school Question.
Unfortunately, during the latter part |
O: my term as President certain unwise !
and demagogic agitators in California, % |
show their disapproval of the japanese
coming into the State, adopted the very |
foolish procedure of trying to provide |
with the California authorities. and
got into personal touch with them. At
my request the mayor of San Francisco
and other leaders in the movement came
OF to see me. I explained that the duty
of the national government was Jwofold:
5y law that the japanese children should
not be allowed to attend the schools with
the white children, and offensive and in
furious language vas used in connection
with the proposal. The Federal admin
istrat ton promptly took up the matter
In the first place, to meet every reason
able wish and every real need of the
people of California or any other State in
dealing with the people of a foreign
clusively and fully to exercise the right
of dealing with this foreign power.
Inasmuch as in the last resort, includ-
ing that last of resorts. war, the deal
ing of necessity had to be between the
foreign power and the national govern
nent. it was impossible to admit that
the doctrine of State sovereignty could
he invoked in such a matter. As soon
as legislative or other action in any
State affects a foreign nation. then ths
affair becomes one for the nation, and
the State should deal with the foreign
power purely through the nation.
Asserting National Responsibility.
/ explained that I was in entire SYM
pathy with the people of California as
to the subject of immigration of the
Japanese in mass but that, of course, l
wished to accomplish the object they had
in view in the way that would be most
and most agreeable to the feel
ings of the Japanese; that all relations
between the two peoples must be those
of reciprocal justice, and that it was
an intolerable outrage on the part of
newspapers and public men to use Of
fensive and insulting language about a
sensitive, and friendly peo-
pie; and that such action as was pro-
posed about the schools could only have
bad effects and would in no shape or
way achieve the purpose that the Cali
fornians had in mind. ! also explained
that I would use every resource of the
national government to protect the jap |
anese in their treaty rights, and would !
count upon the State authorities back
ing me up to the limit in such action.
In short, l insisted upon the two points
% that the nation and not the individual
States must deal with matters of such
significance and must treat /
foreign nations with entire courtesy and
respect; and C0 that the nation would
at once, and in efficient and satisfactory
take action that would meet the
needs of California. 1 offered full rem
ady for the needs of the State. This is
The right, and the only right. course.
The worst possible course in such a case
Is to fail to insist on the right OF the
nation. to offer no action of the nation
to remedy what is wrong, and yet to
It is mistakenly encouraged to believe
alternative Is offered.
k-SatiSfart6ry Conclusion.
After a good deal of discussion we came |
10 an entirely satisfactory conclusion. !
The obnoxious school legislation was
abandoned, and ! secured an arrange I
nent with Japan under which the jap I
anese themselves prevented any emigra- |
ion to our country of their laboring peo- [
pie, II being distinctly understood that !
Z there was such emigration the United I
States would at once pass an exclusion I
aw. 1t was, Of course, infinitely better IL