The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-09-11
ALIEN NR0ADS
ARE OPPOSED
GROWERS FORM NEW ASSOCIATION
Organizations Members Pledge Them
selves Not 10 Sell or Lease Real
Estate to Japanese

tending efforts to secure state or gen
eral legislation and the immediate eX-
clusiOn of Japanese ranchers will be
aimed at by the new organization,
whose members pledged themselves
not to lease or sell property to Japan
ese.
Realtors of the city will be asked to
cooperate IN the movement and to re-
fuse their services as agents III any
transaction that will lead to further
Japponese ownership. While Japanese
aggression here has been steady IN the
past six years, until this year the orr
entails limited themselves chiefly to the
strawberry business.
Their purchases this year have al
most equaled in volume that made by
white buyers and some of the best ap-
pie acreage has passed into hands of
Japanese individuals or companies, as
was expressed at the meeting. Japan
ese seemingly fear early regulations
that will prevent the acquisition of
real estate and, thus stimulated, they
are buying in volume 1t was stated
that Japanese residents have made
such declarations. Land bought in
large tracts, it was stated by speakers,
would later be subdlVided and tenanted
| by Japanese colonies.
The newly formed organization, ac-
ccrding to announcements. will begin
its activities Immediately and every
| land owner of the community will be
ked to subscribe to the movement.
The sentiment against oriental land
ownerhsip is so strong that land grab
bing by Japanese will be curbed until
legislation fully controlling the situa-
ton can be secured, it was said.
An interesting feature of the meet
ing was that Capt. Geo. r. Wilbur,
who in 1917 introduced a bill aimed at
oriental ownership of land, presided.
Mr.. Wilbur in opening the session re.
called that his bill introduced without
preliminary preparation or solicitation
of support had met with opposition by
influential citizens even Of his owr
home county and that it had finally
been withdrawn on advices from the
federal government in order to ellmln'
ate possible international discussions
at time when America was being
drawn into the world war.
"But | will repeat now, )" said Capt
Wilbur, that | told my colleagues
when | withdrew the bill that the time
would come when members of our leg
islature would be sent to Salem witt
express instructions to secure enact
ment of such legislation. >
81 have nothing personal agains
Japanese, said Dr. j. d. Cutlery
"but told the Commercial club sew
eral years ago that was attracted t
this community by the high class 0
citizenship and | warned that dilu
ton of the citizenship with Japanes
would result in US losing:a largefper
centage of our best residents. Ihl
will happen unless we curb furthe
land purchases.
The new association has planned res
olutions in recommendation Of stat
| and federal laws that will eXclud
aliens incapable of naturalization fror
land ownership. Committees will Sc
| cure authentic statistics, it is STATED
/ showing the heavy increase in Japar
ese purchases in the past few month
Il and other data in support of laws to b
\ sought.
i Last Friday nights meeting wa
: characterized by its spontaneltV an
the determination with which tn
growers of the valley proceeded
business. The meeting resulted frol
an advertisement placed in the to Ioci
newspapers. The advertisement reac
"Public Meeting A public meetin
will be held at Library Hall, Frida
evening, September 5th, 1919, at
M, to discuss the japanese question
it affects Hood River. Everybody Il
vited. -
The decision of the advertisemel
was reached following a talk by tW
representative orchardists. Appea
ance of the announcement, unaccon
| panied by comment, brought forth
| spontaneous interest from every vale
| section Thursday and Friday. Despi
II downpour Of rain throughout Il
II early evening, many growers dro'
II from remote rural districts.
II A membership committee compose
II of Roy D. Smith, John Koberg and d
II j. D. Cutlery, with corps of assis
II ants plans on canvassing every sectlC
II of the valley to the new organization.
II All of the 80 citizens present at Il
II meeting signed pledge against sellll
II or leasing to japanese, and numero
II growers in the city Saturday volunta
H ily rendered their atfiliation to the ne
II association.
II The formal pledge to which membe
ii of 1.-THE anti-Japanese association W
II conform is as follows:
III believing that the rapidly lncrea
II ing japanese ownership OF land IN t
II Hood River valley menaces our VIZ
II fare, and threatens ultimae domlnatl
III of our homeland by Asiatics, her
Il with apply for membership in an Ass
II citation to be formed and pledge myst
II as follows;
II THAT America should be preserv
II and protected for American. That
Il child born in this country should
HI come. a citizen unless his parents
Il long to a race eligible to citizenshl
HI that no one but natural born or flu
II naturaized citizen should be allow
Il to own or lease land. That the INN
HI grafton of Asiatics to the Unit
il States should be prohibited.
= "And further, do pledge on I
m sacred honor that will not, either
HI rectly or indirectly. sell or lease a
III land which | may now or hereaft
HI own or be interested in to person
III any Asiatic race or to a corporate
HI the majority of whose stock is held
HI Asiatics.
III Some of the growers engaged in i
III tiating the anti-Japanese moveme
HI we're prone to believe that names
III individuals should be suppressed.
III has been decided, however, as lead'
III in the movement express it, to Ike
III everything above board and all cal
III on the table. All activities Of the n
Ill association will be given full pubhci
III it is said