The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1917-08-07
SEATTLE NOW HAS A TREATY
OF HER OWN WITH THE JAPS
It's Based Square Deal Principles Was Entered Into
After the City Was Persuaded by Judge Burke Give
Even Break-Now the Cooperation of the
Nipponese Repays the Effort
By ZOE BECKLEY

D0y . UAAC G41OII
BECKLEY
members of the Chamber OF Commerce
and l think L speak for virtually the en-
| tire city when say our japanese schoo
| children, high school and university stu.
| dents, business and professional men ano
the farmers and dairymen in the Puyall-
| up and White river valleys are welcome
I and desirable members of our COM
| munity."
| The judge, please understand, is nc
sentimentalist. He does not crate about
the obliteration of national boundaries
nor gush over the approach of uni
versal brotherhood. He knows human
nature He knows that while it would
be ideally fine to have the whole well
known human race embracing like a
class of girl graduates, it cannot be done
But he also knows that it is wrong to
| interpret existing laws in one way to-
| ward one alien and in another way to-
| ward another. And to exclude clean
| and hardworking class of Aliens in or
| der to benefit less worthy type of do
| nestle laborers.
! Thomas Burke does not desire that the
| little yellow men flood into the country
by millions, but he does think a square
deal should be given those already here
or DESTROYS of coming for some good
reason.
The judges theories were we'll tested
out along in the eighties, when Seattle,
not feeling as altrustic as she does now,
started a bit of unpleasantness against
the Chinese within her gates. There
was a wave of Exclusion" sweeping
the country, and the orientials were
pretty roughly used.
BURKE TO THE RESCUE
Thomas Burke, then a lawyer, but
not yet judge, had as well defined
ideas of right and justice as he has to-
day. When the Seattleltes were about
to run the Chinese out of the town by
certain colorful methods of their own
Citizen Burke, with various writs, man
damuses, habeas corpuses and other
things, put a temporary stop to it, in
the meantime getting in touch with the
federal authorities.
Were only a territory out here" he
reminded the department of the in
terror and while I've got things in
hand for the time being, | don't think
it's quite fair to expect the town of Sc
attic, in the territory of Washington to
enforce the terms of United States
treaties made with countries in the far
east
In other words, please send few
troops to help give the Chinese out here
a fair deal-and hurry up!
CHINA SHOWED GRATITUDE
They hurried up and the poor
frightened aliens were accorded fair
treatment. Some went peaceably back to
their country. Others stayed and were
made welcome, the popular mind hav-
ing been changed by the coolheaded-
ness and common sense arguments of
one T. Burke, human being.
Several very pleasant little benefits re-
suited to Seattle from China's gratitude
And later on, when certain delicate sit
uations arose with regard to the jap
anese, Seattle allowed itself to be more
readily guided by Judge Burke, and
things were once more adjusted happi
ly all around.
Ihere are between 5000 and 5000 pros
porous Japs in Seattle today They sub
scribe generously to charities. Many are
Identified with the city's big business.
Walk along jackson avenue and you'll
see Japanese jewellers, tailors, depart
ment store keepers, doctors, dentists.
edltors there is a Japanese daily paper
printed, art dealers, bankers, real es-
tate operators, photographers, grocers.
BARRIERS and hotel and restaurant pro-
pretors. In the public schools are more
than 800 Jap Riddles, some 80 or 40 in
high schools and rs in universities.
talked to two young men. Fl. Fl.
Okuda, manager of the Oriental EXPRESS
and president of the japanese
ASSOCIATION of Seattle, and Ichisaburo
lzumi. graduate of the University of
washington, class of IA, an electrical en-
glneer, who are examples of the citizen
ship made possible by Judge Burke and
other big men of Seattle who think as he
does about the orentals.
WORK WITH-NOT UNDER
We know We have to work under the
handicap of prejudice said Izumi .but
perhaps that is the best thing for MS
1t makes us try harder to succeed. L
worked my way through college by
chores and domestic service and many
other boys have done the same thanks |
TO Judge Burke and others whom he has
They say we do not make as good
servants as the Chinese Well-perhaps
we make good mechanics and artists !
ana doctors and scientists Do the
Americans like to be servants. either?
And is 1t not to their credit?
The Japanese are we'll treated and
happy here and it is because they work |
side by side with the Americans not
beneath them. Seattle has given us our |
We are proving our loyalty
and appreciation"
Most OF the Japs stay and settle |
down (note the Jappie wives and those
superfat solemn-eyed babies that YOU
can't keep your hands Off Of they're so
darllng), but some go back to Japan to 4
teach in the schools or just to put in |
practice whatever good methods thew
learned with us. Do you suppose it |
hurts our relations with Japan to have
these boys and girls return home with |
the fruits of their American study and
friendly experiences? Not much, it |
doesn't!
And while Seattle didn't start out to |