The Washington herald., 1914-07-11
JAP PROBLEM
EVER PRESSING
Rises Anew to Plague Uncle
Sam When He Is Most
Perplexed.
ENGLAND INVOLVED ALSO
John Bulls Colonies. in Even> Worse
Plight. Sympathize Fully with
Califomia's Stand.
ENGLAND INVOLVED ALSO

The revival OF the controversy with
Japan over the California anti-alien land
! laws. burdens the United States with an
other delicate foreign problem, at time
when II is least able to bear II. Not In
decades has this nation been SO beset
, with exterior pressure and exterior issues.
and never has the State Department
loomed so large in the public eye as a
vital instrument OF government. The
Mexican question alone is sufficient to
keep that chancellory extremely busy.
The Colombian and Nicaraugan treaty
proposals are minor matters. but exceed
ingly delicate to handle and provocative
Of much III feeling both at home and
abroad. The repeal OF the Panama tolls
exemption clause also embroiled the State
Department in an embarrassing fashion
and hardly has that cloud dissolved upon
the horizon when the sinister Japanese
question OF a year ago again presses for
attention.
Japan Is Insisting.
Japan is insisting-with an emphasis
which seems to have flavor OF curtness
and peremptoriness to it-upon salts
factory settlement for a question. which.
from the point of view OF the United
States, can never be settled except in the
manner that California already has set
tied it. There is no gainsaying the fact
that the California contention has gained
ground and favor with the people OF the
United States in the year that has passed
since the last exchange of notes between
Japan and the United States. The right
OF a sovereign American State to regu-
late its own internal affairs as It wills. TO
exclude when necessary. an essentially
f.k Nkra ton Nbfa
integrity Of its social and Industrial fab
ric. enlists the strong sympathy Of the
American people. II Is not questioned
that. when the final issues are in court.
CALIFORNIA; right to make its own land
laws even when they conflict with treaty
obligations. will be sustained.
Other Lands as Well.
The California point OF view is abund-
antly sustained in the attitude assumed
by the citizens Of British Columbia and
Of Australia-in fact. Of all Anglo-Saxon
people wherever they are menaced with
large elements OF Oriental races in their
population. There is no longer doubt that
the japanese will be repulsed by his Cau-
casian brother whenever he attempts
peaceful or commercial invasion OF The
latter's territories. He is being told po-
litely. but firmly. that he Is not wanted:
that his mode Of living and OF working
is such that he demoraliZes social condi-
tions which the AnElo-SaXon has estab-
lished through uplift OF many centuries
There is no intention OF insulting the
Nipponese or Of wounding his pride. but
facts are facts and must be faced and
met even at the risk Of hurting the high
seIf-esteem Of a friendly nation.
At the present time the issue is squarely
fixed between the United States and
Japan. But in a short time Great Britain
will be involved no less than the United
States. In South Africa where Asiatic
laborers and miners are supplanting the
whites and Beers. because they will work
at one-third the wage. in Australia. where
cheap agricultural labor is wanted. along
the Pacific Coast OF Canada the issue Is
quickly approaching the acute stage, II
has reached in the United States. Imag-
inc the embarrassment Of Great Britain.
the ally and sponsor OF Japan in the high
er group Of nations, when she faces the
keen and insistent fury Of the japanese
lingo and is compelled to make substan-
TALLY the same answer the United States
is making now.
Problem for Great Britain.
It is certain that II Great Britain tries
to make any other answer-f she tried
to make concessions to Japan or to rule
against her colonies-that she will nearly
disrupt her empire. For the anti Monzol- !
ian rule will be affirmed at any cost by
the British dependencies. which are heart
and soul with California in the present
conflict.
The new japanese ministry. clearly re-
hecting the popular will OF Japan. which !
is now strongly anti-American. owing to |
the efforts OF jingoes and dema gogues. |
has curtly and forcibly laid its case be-
fore the United States. Arbitration Of
The Hague may prove a happy solution
of the difficulty. But in any event arbi- |
tration will be only a stop gap and make !
shift The issue is worldwide and IN a !
decade possibly will be recognized as the |
question which will bring the Orient and |
the Occident into conflict and determine !
the future history Of the world.=