The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-07
DR.. GULICK'S PLAN TO REGULATE
IMMIGRATION HELD IMPRACTICAL

We will pass the point that the pro
posal would handicap our problem of
meaningless restrictions, that it would
admit the Irish or exclude the English
IS effectively as the Japanese. that it
would admit the Russian EOlshcvik
without limit, but exclude the French.
man, that it would favor the Syrian
the Armenian, and the Neapolitan at
the expense Of the Swiss or the HOl-
lander-that it would, IN short, put a
taboo on any effort to deal with the
tremendous problems OF post war
emigration from Europe as eXigencies
may require. We will confine our
selves for the present solely to its ef-
feet on Japan and Japanese immi-
grafton.
No doubt Doctor Quick has re.
ceived Japanese commentator for
his plan. But l fancy the subtle Jap
anese see in it possibilities quite
other than those mentioned. The
equality actually offered is worthless.
as any Japanese can see. But it con
cedeS the principle Of equality. 1t
quite obviously strains a point to do
so, adopting to that end provisions
and limitations that would be prepos-
ferrous, but for the sake Of this nomin-
( a CH OCiiby II LLAuo CSIdDI4SIItS d pa G(6-
dent. The other and more substan-
tial applications OF this principle
! Japan will look out for in due time
and the time will not be very long in
coming. The very purpose of this pro-
posal is, therefore. to recognize that
equality which Japan sought in vain
from the peace conference, an equal
ity which Japan expects to translate
! into the most substantial benefits.
/ Let me say at this point that | do
not share the opinion commonly held
in this country and especially in the
west, regarding the japanese. I have
some acquaintance with the Japanese
| people from four fairly comprehen-
! sive visits to that country supple
! mented by some acquaintance with
japanese in America. I have not
found them tricky and untrustwOrthy
| They may be unreliable in labor con
tracts, but in this they are not quite
alone. Their manufacturers may not
maintain an even quality in the run Of
! their product or FIJI orders according
to sample Newness has something
to do with that. No country has ever
! known a transition so tremendous as
that of the last fifty years in Japan,
and our own much mildcr experience
should teach US the difficulty Of main
tanning ethical standards through
such a time of reconstruction. I be-
lieve there is absolutely no proof that
the Japanese are unworthy Of our con-
fldence as people Meanwhile their
nation with its heritage OF the incom-
parable Samurai tradition has as IN
blemished a record of probtty as our
own.
Japs Would Take It All.
But the Japanese must be excluded
for reasons not disparaging but rath er
complimentary. They can displace
us. That is all there IS to it. In an
area smaller than California and CT
which, only one-siXth is or ever can be
cultivated, they are compelled to raise
food for over so millions of people.
| Moreover this number is increasing
at the rate Of nearly a million year.
The most strenuous efforts on the
part Of the government to check this
increase have hitherto been unayail-
ing. The instincts and habits upon
which this increase depends are
among the last to yield to control.
The pressure is immense. Their fer
tility unlimited.
Meanwhile this pressure, continued
through centuries, has enabled them
to master the art of living as we have
not done and cannot do. Whether
the Oriental live in squalor as in
China or in dainty refinement such as
rarely fails even in the humblest cot
tage in Japan, is all one. He lives,
thrives, and multiplies on terms that
we have rejected, must reject,-terms
which would mean for us physical
extinction.
Ii he comes, therefore, we go. We
should not go peaceably. There would
be riot and bloodshed and race hate