The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-03-25
American Labor Sees Loop
Hole Through Which ORR
entail Immigrants May
Slip Through.
AN APPEAL TO GoMPERs
Japan Could Force Question Three
Different Ways and Then Allen
Votes Would
Decide.
[By L. c. Martin, United Press Staff
Correspondent

WASHINGTON March 25.-Sam-
uel Gompers may be appealed to on
behalf of American labor to say
whether in his opinion the league of
nations constitution now provides a
loophole through which free immi-
grafton Of orientals may become le-
gal.
Gompers is in Paris helping frame
the peace treaty. Requests for his
Interpretation followed an exchange
of telegrams on Japanese demands
for immigration equality, between
Senator Phelan, California, and Sena-
tor Borah, Idaho.
Phelan, strong administration
democrat and league advocate, ap-
pealed to Borah, leader of the oppo-
sition to the league, to do every
thing in his power to prevent inser-
ton Of clause which might prove a
"loophole by which oriental peoples
will possess equality with the white
race in the United States"
Borah replied that the loophole al
ready is in the league covenant.
II call your attention to the fact," ;"
he wired Phelan, that the league
constitution, as it now reads, unques-
tionably gives Jurisdiction to the
league over immigration. There is
not the slightest doubt that the ques-
tion of immigration could be forced
by Japan in three different ways
before the executive council or dele
gate body, so the league would have
to determine it, and if it determines
it, it will be determined by alien
votes"
Gompers is to be asked, it is said,
whether he interprets the covenant
in this respect as Borah does-that
it will be possible under it's present
form for Japan to force a decision
by the league Of the right Of her sub
jects to enter the United States on
an equality with white persons, and
whether, by some combination with
other nations, Japan might, succeed
in imposing her wishes on the rest
Of the league or on the United States.
"This un-American scheme, II car
ried out, would put the American
standard of labor on level with
the Japanese and Chinese stand
ards" Borah said.
Borah agreed to cooperate with
Phelan in keeping out of the cove
nant any special race equality provi-
sion and in return asked Phelan's
help in beating the whole scheme,
for, he said, those who favor this
proposed league and at the same
time protest over general express
sion as to racial equality, have either
not studied the proposed constitu-
ton or they are willing, for the sake
of party regularity, to jeopardize the
rights of American labor"
Japan's present demand for some
specific equality or "just treatment"
clause is the oriental way Of raising
the dust to prevent amendment of
the clauses already in the covenant
through which Japan sees way OF
getting her ends later on, Borah de-
clared.
League opponents plan to present
the Japanese immigration aspect of
the question with emphasis from now
on in their speeches, particularly be-
fore the workers.
Senator Borah today explained
what, in his opinion, the three meth
ods are by which Japan could force
action on immigration:
Articles IL, 13, 10, and 16 of the
proposed covenant provide for arbi-
tration on matters in dispute between
nations said Borah. There is no ex-
ception or conclusion of any specific
question, hence arbitration can be
made to cover immigration as well as
any other matter.
"Under article II, war or threat
of war is declared to be a matter of
concern to the league which reserves
the right to take. any action 1t may
see fit Suppose immigration Of Jap
anese into the United States should
be made the svcject Of controversy
fContinued ON pare a.