Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1920-12-18

brought before the League OF NaC1OnS.
Japan, however, is one Of the best custo-
mers we have. During the year ending
June 80. 1920, we exported nearly $8OO,OOO,-
600 worth Of American commodities ito
Asiatic countries and about 60 per cent of
these ($453, 147 O63) were taken by Japan.
And our imports from Japan were greater
in the same year than from England or any
other country except Cuba and Canada,
reaching the figure Of 1921, 22O,867. At least
one Pacift port-Seattle-is raising an en-
phatc protest against the California agita-
ton as threatening to place in jeopardy her
commercial future.
Just how much Califomians are affrighted
by the facts that exist and how much by
the facts conjured up by their magma
ton, it is difficult to say. Apparently
they have been feasting upon the percent
ages of increase in the Japanese birthrate
and japanese land holdings, and, forget
ting the law Of diminishing returns, have
seen their state overrun with Japanese in
the near future The facts that exist are
that in the last decade the population of
California has increased by 1,648,987, while
the Japanese population has increased by
$500. The Japanese number now about
in 300 (23 per cent?. AS for their hold
ings Of farmlands, they own 74,769 acres
out Of 1,389,894 acres under cultivation in
the state (six-tenths of one per cent?, and
lease 383,287 acres (3.3 per cent? It is
true that there are sixty millions more of
Japanese where these came from, but in
the last twelve years, according to the flo.
ures OF the immigration Bureau, only 49,
1873 OF these sixty millions came into the
United States Including Hawaii), and &c.
FIO returned to Japan, leaving net gain
OF less than 1000 in twelve years It is
true that these figures do not include the
number Struggled in by way of Mexico, but,
even so, the actual situation seems far from
terrifying.
The State Department appeals to the ina.
tional instinct Of JUSTICE But when were
these race hostlliteis ever appeased by ap-
peals either to reason or justice? The
trouble comes from those who are deaf to
such appeals, as we have found out long
since IN the treatment of the Negro, the
Indian and the Chinaman, and may yet find
out IN the treatment of the Jew We might
as well recognize this ugly fact before the
sanodot orators get started again on the
Pacific slope. The Federal Council of
Churches has had commission investigat.
ing the subject, and it earnestly calls for
new treaty and for new legislation both in
TOXIC and Washington. The Committee on
immigration OF the lower house of Con.
gress has also been investigating the situa.
tlon and It's chairman. Isaac Segel, ends
that There is terribly bitter growing
feeling against the Japanese caused bv the
agltatlon,' and that this agitation. fEcreated
largely by politicians, j." has reached a point
where serious international trouble is i'm.
mlnent He also concludes that new treaty
should be made, excluding Japanese labor.
ers The situation does not admit of DELAY.
1t does not mean war in the near future.
but 1T may mean the cultivation of deem.
seated national resentment which is the soil
from which most wars spring. An exclu.
sion act that will work both ways alike
against Japanese laborers entering this
country and American laborers entering
Japan, admitting other classes sought moi
to be difficult to negotiate. If it can not
De negotiated, Congress should act, even if
1t offends Japanese pride Though there is
no reason why it should) than these con.
slant PIN pricks that threaten to develop
int