Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1920-11-23
OFFICIAL JAPANESE EXCLUSION
LEAGUE FILES INITIATIVE
ON LAND OWNERSHIP
SUPPLEMENTS BASIC LAW
Regulates Mortgage Foreclosure and
Prevents Aliens Being Made
Guardians or Trustees.

entered the international SITUATION IN
volving the United States and Japan
as to restriction of immigration into
this country when Robert e. Green OF
Seattle, 1led an initiative to the COM
ing legislature patterned on the Call
fornia law recently passed by over
whelming vote. The Japanese are
not mentioned in the bill iiled here
yesterday. but Green is a member OF
the executive committee OF the anti
Japanese league Of Seattle and every
one knows that the law is designed
to deal with the Japanese farmer
question that has become so acute In
this state, especially in the rich farm
ing country lying between Seattle and
Tacoma in what is known a. the
Puyallup valley.
Supplements State Constitution.
The proposed act IL designed to
supplement the constitutional inhibi-
bition Of aliens owning land in this
state without first declaring their
intention Of becoming an American
citizen. privilege now denied to
fofefgn.born orientals. r. the initia-
tive IL passed ana becomes effective
It win prevent leasing Of farms to
aliens who have not or can not de-
clare intention to become citizens. 1t
will prevent them from holding land
longer than two years by virtue of
mortgage foreclosure and they may
not obtain title by acting as guard
ians for their children born in this
country, who by reason of birth are
qualified for ownership.
The foreign. corporations of which
the majority of capital and stock is
owned by aliens who have not been
made citizens are also barred from
operating here and all leases and
title claims are to lapse through
execution sale II necessary within two
years after the law becomes effective.
Leasing Of non-agricultura lands for
a period Of not longer than six
months is permitted to meet a pro-
vision of the United States treaty with
Japan. This covers property in cities.
Complete Text of Proposed Act.
The complete text Of the proposed
act is as follows:
Section /. The ownership of land
by aliens, other than those who in
good faith have declared their inten.
tion to become citizens of the United
States, is prohibited in this state, ex-
cept where acquired by inheritance,
or in good faith under mortgage or in
the ordinary course of justice in the
collection of debts; and all convey
ances of land hereinafter made to any
such alien directly or in trust for such
alien shall be void. Provided that
the provisions OF this act shall not ap
ply to lands containing valuable de-
posits of minerals. metals, iron, coal
or fire clay. and the necessary land
for mills and machinery to be used
in the development thereof and the
VI Luc PIOuuClS tucTG-
from. Every corporation the major
ity of the capital stock of which is
owned by aliens who shall not in
good faith have declared their inten-
tion to become citizens of the United
States shall be considered an alien
for the purpose of this prohibition
Section 2. Any leasehold or other
interest in agricultural lands and any
leasehold of more than six months
duration in agricultural lands
shall be considered an ownership
thereof within the meaning of. this
act. Lands used for dairying and
stock raising shall be deemed to be
agricultural lands within the mean
ing of this act
Alien Leases Run One Year.
Section 3. All leases to aliens who
have not in good faith declared their
intentions to become citizens of the
United States, and all leases to cor