Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-28
JAPAN WORRIED BY
CALIFORNIA ISSUE
Sokatani Says Negotiations With
United States Are Entering
Serious Stage"

Washington. Sept. 2S.--Adminlstra-
tious officials continue To decline 20 DIS
cuss for publication any OF the phases OF
negotiations with Japan growing out ol tne
proposed anti-Japancse land law IN Calf
iornia. hut the impression has gone out
that n proposal from Toxic that the ques-
tion be referred 20 JOINT COMMISSION
for solution would he unacceptable,
Tho conversations regarding the Cali
fornia law which have been gong on
between Ambassador Smdihara ot Japan
and State Department officials are con-
tinuing and So far as has been iearneu'
the proposal for a JOINT commission mas
not been formally communicated 10
Washington by the Japanese government
Conflicting opinions oi both american,
and Japanese authorities on @hlerhatson M
law are said 20 have made the task oi the
state Department officials and the Japan
csc ambassador more dlilcult.
Proponents Of the California law say
that California in enactng a measure
barring the japanese from owning land IN
that state would lie refusing to the Japan
csc I'm this country no rights or privileges
which are not refused by Japanese law TO
Americans m Japan.
Ianan contends that the California law,
which Is 10 be voted ON IN November, Is
discriminatory because 1t does not apply
10 All foreigners alike rs does the Japanese
law The suggestion has been made IN
Toxic that after the law IS enacted 1t be
tested IN the United state Supreme Court.
some Japancsc authorities on international
law doubt that this would be effective as
they state frankly that the proposed
California law conflicts neither with the
constitution nor with the terms OF the
American Japanese treaty.
Toxic. Sept. % Negotiations between
the Japanese and United states Govern
ments with reference 20 the Immigration
question are entering "the serious stage,
Raron Sakatani. former Minister of
Finance. has Informed the Roselkai party
N the House of Peers, reporting an inter
Wow with Niseount Uchida, the Foreign
Minister
Asserting that this was the only state
mcnt concerning the negotiations which
~ was possible 10 disclose, Baron Saka-
tani quoted the Foreign Minister as
saving that both Governments were
making the utmost effort 10 arrive at
an amicahle settlement.
An attack against secrecy IN connec-
tion with the California problem IS made
m statement by Marquis Okuma,
former Premier lie demands that the
Government respond 10 national opinion
which should bc awakened to the gray-
ity "a the issues.
The presence of 100, 600 Industrious
Iapanesc u no menace 20 America, SAYS
the Marquis. the real menace is from
the anarchists and Bolshcviki who are
nocking INTO the United States from
Europe.
After pointing out that many Japanese
subscribed 20 the American Liberty
Loans and made donations 70 the Red
Cruss and that some Of them volunteered
for service with the army, Marquis
Okuma declared.
"Ne must appeal 20 the fair iudg-
mont Of enlightened Americans, and if
necessary, % the nations of the world.
Moreover. there is ample ground for the
Japaucse 10 insist on their legal rights,
SO there is no need to jump at hasty
conclusions and try high-handcd meas
urcs.7
The newspaper Yomi-Uri quotes Wis
count Shibusawa, President of the Ameri-
can-Japan Society, is admitting that the
question OF appointing High Commission
10 eca with the problems between tn
two countries is being considered, but
saving he would recommend 10 Premier
Hara that the result Of the referendum in
California be awaited. In the event of its
being unfavorable, he added he thought
that representative Japanese should so
70 Amenca and discuss the problem with
men like former President Taft and Frank
W. Nanderlip.
Personally, Viscount Shibusawa is
quoted as adding he believed the ex-
tension Of the naturalization privilege to
the japanese in California would be the
hest solution Of the difficulty, as they
and their posterity would thus escape
further persecution" by Americans.
Foreign Minister Uchida went to
odawara Yesterday and conferred with
regard 70 the California question with
Eield Marshal Namagata, Supreme Mill
tary Councillor and President of the
Privy Council
yve-z- Tvcni-ris classified .Ive r4isa.