Imperial Valley press., 1920-01-17
JAPANESE ASK
PHELAN FOR
IMPERIAL
VALLEY
Startling Story Brought Out at
Meeting of Anti-Asiatic As
s0ciatiOn in Los Angeles:
Offer Indignantly Refused
and Spurned BY Senator.

A new and amazing angle to the
Japanese situation insofar as it affects
the Imperial valley came to light yes
terday in Los Angeles at a meeting of
the Anti-Asiatic Association which
recently was responsible for the appear
ance in that city of United States Sen
ator James d. Phelan.
The statement was made by w. I.
Traeger, president of the organization
that he and the directors of the organ.
ization, and it's officers We're told by
Senator PhSlah that the Japanese had
made overtures to the senators in an
attempt to get control of the entire
Imprial valley. Mr.. Traeger said Sen.
ator Phelan told the story substantial
ly as follows:
Want Imperial Valley
"Just before 1 left Washington, an
American, representing powerful Japa-
nese organizations, and said to be back
ed by the Japanese government, pro
posed as a solution of the Japanese
question, that Americans be ousted
from the Imperial Valley, all Japanese
in California and along the coast be
segregated and shipped to the Valley
and allowed to own and till it's fertile
lands.
He said the Japanese, being accus-
toned to hot weather, would thrive in
the Valley where it is too warm for
white men; that if l would give my ap-
proval to the plan he would be glad to
take it up with the interests he repre-
sented and that this scheme appealed
to him as bing practical and sensible.
Just exactly how he planned to dis
possess the large and small farm own
ers and depopulate the cities of the
magnificent Valley he did not make
clear. In fact it was a feeler, as /
see it, to determine the attitude of the
people of the Valley through me.
Off is Spurned
my attitude on this subject is so
we'll known that l was amazed to
think he should approach me on the
subject. Naturally l told him emphatic
ally that such a plan was absurd on
the face of it and that this offered not
the slightest way out of the Japanese
problem. However, / think it is inter-
esting in view of the present agitation
on the coast against the Japanese as a
land holder and business man."
The officers and directors of the Los
Angeles County Anti-Asatic Associa-
ton are, w. l. Traeger, president; W.
d. Gilman, secretary, Bert l.. Farmer,
treasurer; Eugene Biscailuz, Lou
Guernsey, n. o. Graves, c. Elliott
Miller, Seth Brown, III. G. Bodkin, C. M.
Hunt, Charles Kiesner, Ralph Griswell
directors.
The secretary reported he is receiv-
ing many replies from the county csurt
clerks of California, Oregon, Arizona,
and Nevada to whom he wrote for in
formation concerning applications for
guardianship, made by Japanese so
they can own land, but which, legally,
remains in the hands of their children.
Bert Farmer, treasurer, told the
gathering that money is coming in
steadily and constantly increasing
amounts, for the work of the associa-
ton.
Many new plans for arousing Los
Angeles county to the invasion of the
Japanese were discussed, and some of
them will be put into effect in the near
future. Invitations will be sent to a
number of prominent speakers, nation
ally known, and when they are able to
accept, mass meetings will be arrang-
ed, similar to that recently addressed by
Senator Phelan.