The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-09
AMERICA To
AVOID WAR
WITH JAPAN
Representative Kahn, Chair
man Military Committee,
Declares Our Earnest Hope
Is To Avert Conflict.
DEPLORES AGITATION
CBy Associated Press.)


WASHINGTON, Dec. 9-Discussins
the Japanese question freely and
frankly in carefully prepared ad-
dress delivered today in the house,
Representative Kahn of California,
chairman of the military committee,
declared that America hoped always
to avoid war, and that if "the states
men, the publicists, the politicians,
the agitators and the demagogues of
Japan" really wanted war with the
to bring it on and not the Americans.
Mr.. Kahn said he knew that he
voiced "the earnest hope and the wish
of every patriotic American that peace
between the two countries may con-
tinue perpetually".
But the world" said he, has only
recently learned that we are not too
proud to fight; nor are we afraid to
, fight when we are forced into war"
Urges Training
The military committee chairman
took occasion to reaffirm his belief
that universal military training pol
icy would best safeguard the country
and added:
Il have no fear that there will be
war between Japan and the United
States in my lifetime, nor even the
lifetime of my sons. And l am thor
oughly satisfied that if my country
remain measurably prepared there
will be no difficulty between the two
nations at any time"
Mr.. Kahn briefly reviewed the his
tory of the relations between the Unit
ed States and Japan and with regard
to the Japanese immigration problem
in California, now the subject of
treaty negotiations between the two
governments said students of interna-
| tional law everywhere had recognized
! the absolute right" of any nation to
! regulate immigration as it deemed
best Even Japanese students were
| familiar with universally accepted de-
! cisions on this point, he said, and
| added:
DepIores Agitation.
| ''It is therefore most unfortunate
| that constant agitation regarding
! these matters is maintained by our
! neighbor across the Pacific: because
| the final effect of such propa ganda
| and agitation undoubtedly is to install
pronounced hatred of America and
Americans among the masses in ia
! pan.
This is decidedly unfortunate con-
dition of affairs. Indeed | say it is a
most serious conditions condition
that may result. unfortunately, in
grave difficulties between two hereto
| fore friendly nations"
| The speaker said many public Of
| ficials in Japan" as well as political
/ agitators had tried to make the world
! believe" that opposition to immigra-
! ton of Japaneses laborers into the
United States was based upon racial
prejudice"
Denies Prejudice.
1--WE of the Pacific coast deny that
! this is the case" he declared. "No
objection has ever been made to the.
admission into this country of Jap
anese professional men, of Japanese
financiers, or Japanese religious teach
| ers or leaders or bona-fide Japanese
merchants or Japanese students or
| Japanese travellers. The sole objec-
| tion is to the laboring class.
Whether the undesirable, be farm
er laborers, skilled mechanics or un-
skilled coolies, contend that the OBJ
| lection is purely an economic one.
! . Japan herself is doing to the Ia
borers of China and Korea what she
claims is racial hate or prejudice
when done by us to Japanese labor
erS"