Honolulu star-bulletin., 1916-12-27
PheIan Fights TO Put More Bars
Up Against Japanese and
Picture Brides
TBy Associated Pressl

IBy Associated Pressl
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Dec. IL
After another day 0 debate over the
exclusion of aliens on account oil race,
the senate late today adopted the
committee amendment to the lmmi'
grafton bill which would bar Hindus
and certain other Asiatics without
mentioning them by name, with an
added provision stipulating that moth
ing in the act shall be construed to
! repeal any existing law, treaty or
agreement which serves 10 prohibit
or restrict immigration.
This added stipulation. proposed by
Senator Phelan OF California, Is de-
signed to replace the direct reference
to the so-called "gentlemen's agree
ment" with Japan, which was stricken
out of the house bill by the senate
committee at the request OF the state
department.
The committee amendment pre-
scribes certain geographical areas
from which immigrants shall not be
admitted instead OF naming races or
nationalfties as was done in the bill
as 1t passed the house.
During the debate Senator Lodge
and Senator Phelan engaged in a
lively colloquy. the former insisting
that Il was needless to insert In the
bill any reference to agreements, be-
cause they would not strengthen the
.,position OF the United States.
y 1T is great mistake" said Senar
tor Lodge "for this Congress to give
wanton and needless offense to
friendly nation, by which we gain
absolutely nothing"
Senator Phelan declared that after
the bill had passed the house certain
Japanese busyb0dies objected. and
that he thought ~this government
ought to be conducted from Washing
ton. not from Toxic"
The Phelan provision prevailed
without a roll call and the committee
amendment, az modified, was adopted
by a vote OF ~ to IA, Western sena-
tors. voting against It.
Senator Phelan gave notice that he
would offer another amendment to
prohibit the entrance OF so-calied
Japanese picture brides" into the
United States.
Amendment Offered
ing presented. Senator Chamberlain
offered an amendment 10 restore men.
tion Of the eentlemens agreement"
He thought elimination OF mention Of
passport agreements would abrogate
the Root-TakhhIra agreement and
leave absolutely no restriction on
Japanese immigration. The American
slogan, ne said. ought to be safety
first in protecting our race from any
disintegration."
Senator Smith Of South Carolina
denied that failure to mention the
agreement would ahrogate It.
Japan Is religiously keeping the
agreement, and there is nothing to
be gained by the proposal to refer TO
this agreement In this bill except to
irritate Japan" said he. "You are
doing thing which can only anger,
the nation which is keeping this
agreement and which does not give
you any additional safeguard what !,
ever.
IF t Is the intent and purpose of
the United States to abrogate a sol
emn treaty and disregard our COM
pact with another nation, should
not vote for II. But I submit that 1t
should be done openly and above
board. II such Is the intention, and
that japan should be told that we
are going to exclude them"
That's just exactly what we ought
to do" said Senator Works of Cali |
fornia, but apparently we are not
ready TO do that yet"
Senator Works added that the peo- |,
pie Of California do not claim the .
Japanese are an inferior race, put
were against japanese immigration
because the race does not assimilate
with the white race. He said he be-
1ieved the Roor Takahira gentlemen's
agreement was being violated by the
entrance into this country OF Japa-
nese women. He said there were
100000 Japanese males in this coun-
try, most Of them in California, and
predicted that IL women were not
forbidden entrance, most of the men
would soon be married and have
families. Under California law. he
pointed out, children of Japanese
parents born there would be citizens.
He declared the law prohibiting own
ership Of land by Japanese is being
violated now by conyeyances to Japa-
nese children born in the state.
Il hope" he said in conclusion,
that we will not become nation of
towards, afraid to protect our own
nation against any nation of the
earth.
Senator Chamberlain said he fa-
yored going further than the bill now
goes and stating the peoples by name
that should be excluded. He said he
nad no fear OF war over such bill.
but added that If war came the
United States would be prepared.
Senator Phelan persuaded Senator
Chamberlain to withdraw his amend
ments
Tempest In Teapot
! Senator Williams of Mississippi de-
clared he could not see why such a
tempest in a teapot" was being made
over the Japanese, question, particu-