The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-05
Especial COrIespondence.)

Japan's demand to have her clause against race discrimination inserted In the terms of the League of Ma tons. It is difficult to know whether the nation is more angry with the Government and it's delegates to tho Peace Conference for having failed in the above attempt or with the two greater Powers for having failed to COrcede Japan's request. Probably tEe aversion is about equally divided, though which will suffer the more eventually the leaders in the anti foreign propaganda do not appear to decide.
 To anyone familiar with Japanese history and tradition 1t Is clear that at first, at all events, the immediate suffers will be the Japanese delegates in Paris Someone will have to be- come the scapegoat on whom to avenge the national patriotic ire but whether 1t will be Marquis Saionji or Baron Makino. or both, remains un- certain. The Press Is already mak- ing suggestions that savor of tragic consequences should the delegates venture to return to this country hints that in any other land would be regarded as indictment to crime. That such statements should go un- needed in a country where anything suggestive of disregard of law and or der Is vigorously suppressed by au- thority shows how delicate the sit uatton is, the Government hesitating to allow the nation to give bent to its wrath before the time.
 An OIninous Precedent
 It will be remembered that on the return of the delegates from the Portsmouth Peace Conference after Il Ia ot- tackled by a mob, and Marquis Ko- mura escaped assassination only by good luck; but the mob vented it's spleen in serious rioting and destruc- ton of life and property, most of the lives lost being those of policemen. Evidently, in t1le mind of many, this is regarded as a precedent not un- worthy of imitation if the present dis sa tisfaction maintains itself until the delegates reach home.
 The attitude of the Press and pub lie is in many ways rather illogical, and consequently difficult to deal with. There is no appreciation of the fact that racial, like social, questions cannot be settled by legislation, that they are too delicate even for formal discussion. The manner in which the | subject is handled in the vernacular | Press of Japan is not unreasonable. | if not absurd, from an Occidental | point of view It appears to be | thought that once the clause pro- | posed by Japan is inserted in the ! terms of the League of Nations all 1 alleged prejudice against Japanese ! will disappear in America and the British Dominions. One is sometimes tempted to doubt the sincerity of 1 such avowaIs, seeding that legislation has never had this alleged magical effect in Japan. Fifty years ago, when the Emperor Meiji expressed a | desire to abolish class distinctions Tn 1 regard to the rights of citizens in | Japan, 1t was promulgated by the 1 Government that the eta, or pariah class, was to be placed on a plane or i social equality with the citizens Of the ! Empire. Though such is the statute this unfortunate class is still ostra- cised by Japanese society, ana IS stlli loud in its .outcry for abolition of the 1 discrimination to which it IS SUD- jected Nor can any Japanese really believe that by passing law placing all Koreans on a level with Japanese
 the thing would, de facto, take place Japan. like other nations, must In time come to see that race QueStlons cannot be adjusted by complalnlns or making a fuss, but by behaVlns so that thev disappear naturally. So long as the laws of none of Japan's Allies
 defer to race prejudice her. people l must go on charging England anu America with approving such lesSia
 ton. If Asiatic labor be taboo In cer- +odn F,neush-speak king sections, the
 dim Iculty is economic and local, not racial or national; and 1t is unfair 10 1 hold an entire nation responsible TOT
 the eccentricities of limited centres
 A Sweeping Propaganda
 But the anti-foredgn proPasaiiu1l l TOW going on in the Vernacular here is far too sweeping to be con
 fined to discussion on race dlscrlrn- :
 nation The charges brought asalns
 England and America, most or them
 srnported very slenderly or not at all, | cover rather a wide range. The gen.
 eraI trend of complaint against Great
 E,atain is that she wants to be the
 biggest frog in the ring and is utlhz- 1 ine the success of her arms in Europe
 and her. position at the Peace ConIer- | ence to secure a place Of permanent
 nre-eminence in dealing with the at-
 fairs of other nations, especially those
 of Asia This attitude is ascribed 10
 commercial as well as political ann
 laitions Britain, 1t Is sand, dlo no'
 s1nnort Japan's demands for the : aboiition of radical discrimination be-
 c,use ohe feared Japan might take
 adyentase of 1t to make trouble III the British colonies, and she dio ho'
 favor Japan's ownership Of the Ger
 man Islands in the South Seas pc
 cause of their proximity to Australia
 The remarkable thing Is that the , Isantiments of the Japanese Press since the opening of the Peace Con , ference would justify such susp1c1on' on the part of British statesmen even had they not thought Of then
 before. Some of the vernacular pa , pears have openly stated that hae
 Japan taken the side of Germany IT
 inc late war she could easily nave advanced on the British possessions 1T
 the Pacific, and that Heaven know
 what might not have happened Some editors now urge that becauss ! Japan has been so shabbily treated
 in s-i-. of her assistance to the Al 2 lEes, she should come out of the | Peace Confe erence and form a countel l conference of her own. seeking to en league the South American states ant | the neutral as well as the RusSial serritoriss agadnst the Big Four. ..