Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-16
BUSINESS RUSH
ON MAIL ORDER
Brides, SHOWN
Japanese Picture Wives Continue
to Arrive at Ports on the
Pacific Coast.
By FREDERIC ]. HASKN.
(WashinEton Duran. The ArE1as.l

BIZ Z hEDEkIC d HASAlNs
(Washington Bureau. The ArE1asl
Washington, Aug. 16.-Japan is
doing a rushing mail order bust
ness in brides for unmarried Jap
anese in the United States. These
girls, who are betrothed and mar
ried by picture. arrive at Pacific
ports in ever-increasing numbers.
This epidemic of picture brides
promises to bring up again the old
and irritating question of Japanese
immigration. That question was
supposed to be settled by the gen
tlemen's agreement" in which
Japan promised not 10 send any
laborers to the United States. Now
Californians claim in a rising cho-
rus of objection that the picture
bride business, on it's present large
and growing scale, is violation of
the agreement in two ways. In the
first place, they claim that many
of these women are Iaborers and go
to work in the fields as soon as
they reach this country. In the
second place, they point out that
nearly all of the picture brides
have children soon after their ar
rival, and that in this way Japan,
in spite OF the gentlemen's agree
ment, is filling the Pacific states
with ia anese who are native-born
American citizens and can own
land
1t is stated by some of the OBJ
/. tectors to this invasion of Japan
csc women that the Japanese gov,
eminent is back of the whole
movement, that it examines women
sent to this country, and will not
send any who are not fit to bear
children.
The steamship Korea brought
150 of these brides recently, and
scores arrive on almost every Jap
anese steamship. The regulations
which restrict japanese immigra-
ton permit Japanese in this coun-
try to send for their wives. There
fore the picture bride system.
Admitted So Far.
These picture brides have so far
been admitted to the United States
without question, but now. CalifOr-
mia insists that something be done
to protect her.
The picture bride idea could have
originated nowhere but in Japan.
Japanese custom DEGREES that the
shall select for him a bride, and
make all arrangements with her
family for the wedding. Some
times the bride and groom meet be-
forehand, as often not.
Few adaptations were necessary
to make this efficient and unro-
mantle system of courtship and
marriage to fit couples who were
u
can immigration laws. The Japan
csc marriage candidate in this
country decks himself out in his
Sunday best, or hires a dress suit,
and goes to a photographer for a
picture to his relatives in Japan,
or to a Japanese association, and
they pursue his suit for him.
The girl selected is shown the
picture, and if she approves of it
she sends hers to the sutton in re-
turn. The relatives get together
sidered tied.
The Japanese government rec
ogniZes such weddings and issues
the necessary passports to the
girls, stating the date Of marriage.
- y " q lew Cd4S dSOs hACh luCg
came to this country the couples
were required to be married again
by a minister or justice of the
peace, which, in the absence of a
supreme court decision, might be
taken to mean that the United
States does not recognize the 9TH
er ceremonies as legal wedding.
Now, however, this formality has
been dropped and port officials
regularly admit the girls as wives
of Japanese already in this coun-
try"
At the port the girls are exam
ined and their passports vised, and
then the brides meet their hus-
bands Up to this state the little
Japanese maidens are all bushes
and smiles and excitement. but,
according to Senator Phelan of
California, the encounters are
startlingly disi1lusioning.
81 was told by inspectors of i'm
migration" said Senator Phelan.
that when girls coming over from
Japan go down and peek through
the doors to see the prizes they
have won in the lottery OF love and
life, they come back with horror