Evening star., 1916-10-01

pended on to encourage the steamship
service. BY the presence Of it's sub
1ects in Brazil it establishes for itself
something of an international standing
on the South American continent, and
even may claim a look-in on some
questions of pan-American policy. 1t
in regard to the welfare of its sub
jects where some international pres
tige may result from being aggressive
Japanese immigration into Brazil is
stili largely OF the coolie class. That
is because the demand for labor in
the rice fields which was so pressing
could be met only by coolie laborers
accustomed to the same kind of work
at home. But the hints from Toxic
and Yokohama have been that the in
tention is to raise the standard.
1t is assumed that there Is an OPEN
ing for Japanese artisans and mechan-
les as well as for field workers. And
there is also presumed to be oppor-
tunity for Japanese retail merchants.
The effect of a Japanese invasion OF
this kind on the BraziIians is not likely
to be favorable. They were not in
hospitable to the first arrivals, al
though they showed some uneasiness
when the coolies began to spread out
and in some cases set up as dealers as
well as laborers. The local merchants
would have preferred to sell to the
Japanese themselves. but they recog-
nized the inevitable tendency of these
people to deal with their own.
When it came to the Japanese mer-
chants selling to the whole community.
they began to growL The disintegra-
tion of the japanese settlements put
them into better humer. Now they
may be confronted with a renewal Of
competition in some localities on a
somewhat larger scale, and they are
not likely to take kindly to 1t.
Japanese retail merchants in foreign
lands, as a rule, cannot compete with
the Chinaman, but there are no Chinese
merchants in the section of southern
Brazil which is receiving the immi-
grants. Whether the japanese can sue
cessfully compete with the Portuguese
merchants is an open question, for the
Portuguese retail dealers are practi-
cally a guild who get a profit where
the ordinary dealer starves. But the
Japanese are not likely to be deferred
from making the effort.
When it comes to numbers, japanese
immigration into southern Brazil is
not likely to make much of an impress
on the European immigration of Latin
nationality. or the Slavic. or even the
grafton. million italian immigrants
and similar number of Spanish ones
in decade is not likely to be seriously
affected by 10000 Japanese.
Southern Brazil draws the bulk Of its
colonists from Spain and Italy, and will
continue to draw from those sources
after the world war is ended. To talk
Of the Japanese submerging the Euro
pean immigration shows little knowl-
edge of the actual situation. At the
same time it may be taken for granted
that the Japanese, though relatively
small in numbers. il the present move
ment continues, will not be submerged
by the Italians and the Spaniards. They
are likely to preserve their national
identity.
Some observers see the possibility of
complications between Brazil and jap
an as a result of the renewed Japanese
immigration. The state of San Paulo
forces the terms under which the emf
grants settled there. but the central
government at Rio de Janeiro Is the
deal internationally in reference to its
subject in Brazil. There is no reason
to suppose. however. that such ques-
tions as may arise will not be settled
without serious friction.
Yet some prophets foresee Japanese
warships on the coast of Brazil and the
Asiatic Monroe doctrine, 1t is limited.
may yet come into play in consequences
Of this Japanese immigration to Brazil.
But the situation is not the same on
the east coast as on the west coast.
The west coast countries have an Asiat-
ic exclusion policy similar to that Of
the United States and British Columbia
and for similar reasons. But the east
coast. Notwithstanding the opening OF
the Panama canal. is not under the
same menace.
The renewal Of Japanese immigration
has both economic and political sig
America need sit up nights for fear OF
a new Japau In southern Brasil