New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-04

Of race antagonism and conflict. IL
would be difficult to eXaggerate tue
practical importance of the race ques-
tion as between the so-called whl'c
and yellow races, and particularly be-
tween the United States and Japan. For
the world has grown small and crowd
cd America. Europe and Asia are to-
dav in closer contact than were Eng
land, France and Spain two or three
centuries ago, and they cannot be put
apart again. For better or for worse
they must live together. How IS their
union to be made for good and not
for i'll? II is not as an alarmist that
DR.. GlIlick writes, and yet IT Is not as
one blind to the signs OF the tines
The awakening OF Japan IS an accom-
plished and irreyocable fact. and the
similar awakening OF China is at this
very moment being irresistio'y
achieved. These great nations must
hereafter be reckoned with as forces
in the Industrial, social and political
u,
The question is whether they are to he
harmonious or dscordant forces. Is
there to be conflict or comfy between
East and West? Some present ten
denotes seem to be making straight for
conflict. and such conflict would be DIS
astrous for both sides. DR.. Gulick be-
lieves that II can be. and Of course
should be, ayerted without any sacrl-
fee Of our national or racial integrity.
one step toward such q solution of
the problem, he holds, would be our
recognition OF the assimilability OF the
Japanese. That does not mean general
intermarriage between the two races
any more than the question DO you
want your daughter to marry Mig
eer?" suggested the aim OF those who
sought TO abolish human slavery. Some
cases of such intermarriage have proved
successful and happy, but the author.
with all the emphasis OF which he is
capable. would discourage the practice.
II ever IL is 10 be adopted, IL should be
after and not before complete assim-
ilation. That the latter is possible he
earnestly maintains, with wealth or
cMmpe and argument. The chief OBJ
staclcs to It. he holds. are of our own
artificial construction. 1t is either alb
surd or hypocritcal to condemn the
Japanese in America for retaining Jap
anese patriotism and refusing to inter
est themselves in American affairs,
seeing that they arc not American clti-
zens: and it ia similarly wrong 10 con-
6emn them for not becoming citizens
when We ourselves specifically debar
them from It.
DR.. Gulick is not in favor. either. OF
unrestricted Japanese or Chinese immi-
grafton, or, indeed, OF any unrestricted
immigration. He argues that immi-
grants should be received according to
their individual merits as men and
women. and not because OF race or
color. Thus an intelligent, industrious,
moral Aslatic, who would become an
American citizen, should be preferable
to an ignorant. indolent, immoral Euro
pean, who would not become asslmilat-
cd or naturalizcd. But he would not
let even personal fitness be the sole
test. nor permit oven tho most worthy
TO come I'm In unlimited numbers. The
test of assimilability should be applied,
as determined by the assimilation al
ready actually achieved. That is to
say. he would permit each country 20
send hithcr each year only a number
proportional on a percentage basis To
tho number of immigrants from that