The Washington times., 1920-07-26

expires in July, 1921.
LONDON. July 26.-An American
ambassador at Toxic said to me in
l9l2:
Not one American In . million ON
he other side OF the Rockies cares
straw whether the Japanese own
and In California. The land ques-
ion IL purely . local affair. hut
Iundreds of thousands-even mil
'ons-of Americans care very much
Yhether Japan is going 10 control the
'acinc and China
Neither America nor any other
ountry has ever objected to the ad-
lission of Japanese bent on study
n investigation or as tourists. What
hey object TO Is an influx OF Orien-
al labor, which is able 10 underbid
yhite labor, and, In certain districts,
monopolize definite Industries. The
objection to the importation OF
foreign labor is just as strong with
the japanese as it is with the Amer
leans or the British Columbians. But
the japanese authorities have acted
much more stringently than those OF
America or Canada The importation
of foreign labor into Japan 10 strictly
forbidden by Imperial Ordinance NO.
352.
1t fs the same with the nnturalixn-
tiOn question. The Japanese press
claims from America the right of
naturalization for those OF Japan's
sons who may go to the states and
wish 10 settle there. But In Japan,
n foreigner cannot be naturalized In
this manner. Naturalization L. open
to a foreign man or woman, but II Ia
by q road so roundabout that IL IL
practically never taken. foreign
man can become a naturaliHed citizen
Of Japan by being adopted into a
japanese family and by taking "
Japanese name. A foreign woman
can be naturnliEed by marrying a
Japanese subject.
NATURALIZATION DANGERS.
In my opinion. whatever it may be
| worth. the Japanese government, II
and when 1t demands the right OF
naturalization for Japanese in Amer
lea, will do so for diplomatic prestige,
as an acknowledgment that Japan
really is a first-class power. The
present refusal is regarded as a slight
on Japan's position in the world.
I do not think the grant Of the
right would be beneficial to America
The Japanese are not assimilable in
the mass in q white community, and
-
Japanese grow to manhood they be-
come less and less assimilable. The
grant to a large number of Japanese
of the citizenship of the United States
could easily have the most embarrass-
ing effects on the country's policy.
1t would automatically necessitate the
removal of the immigration barrier.
for it would be impossible to refuse
admission to people who, once landed.
would be eligible for citizenship. 1t
would mean the creation of a party.
ambitious. coherent, and hegemonous.
but owing dual allegiance. An
exactly similar position would arise
as that created by the hyphenated
Germans during the war.
II, as | assert, the questions Of
land ownership. labor, immigration,
and naturalization are not the funda-
mental causes of the tension between
America and Japan, what are?
WANT FAIR PLAY IN CHINA.
What is the United States attitude
toward China? In one word it is
fair play Ip all her dealings with
China she has been frank, open and
above board. What she would mostly
like to see in the policies OF the Pow
ers toward that country would be the
conversion of the promises of the
open door" into facts. She wants to
see China sovereign in her own do
minions and opening them to the free
competition of the whole world. That
would be for the benefit OF all com
merce, America included.
Washington realizes that the Pow
ers have hitherto conducted their af-
fairs in China simply and solely on
monopoly basis. The "open door"
4. ~I..A II. mi
ica has clashed with Japan is due to
the latter country having abused her
rights more openly than any other Of
the others. The enunciation of the
Hay Doctrine in the Far East was
one OF the sharpest rebuffs which
Japanese diplomacy has so far re-
ceived, and there is no doubt that It
came as very considerable shock to
the Gwaimusho.
The Tnknhirn-Root agreement wns
the outward and visible exrpession Of
rnPpronchemcnt. but in fact that
rnpproch cnent meant nothing mt all
1t WINS merely n diplomatic device by
the GwnipushO to humbug the world,
and America in particular, into the
belief th6t America md Japan were
inhued with the same hopes and
wishes ms to the future OF China
II my reading OF Japanese ambitions
in China Is anywhere near correct, the
real views of the two governments are
| Numerically opposed.
HOODwINK UNITED STATES.
Japan, determined on the CONNER
cial and political domination of
| China. could never acquiesce in a
| policy intended to make China self
supporting. self-sufficient and strong.
While under Komura's tactful man
| agement the idea of complete ap-
proval was conveyed to Washington,
every wire was pulled at Peking in
conjunction with the European
powers, all of whom were equally
shocked at the idea OF free and
Independent China. to strangle the
intense Chinese enthusiasm for Amer.
lea to which Mr.. Taft's speech at
Shanghai in october, 1908, had given
birth.
How successful Komura was in the
| creation of favorable atmosphere
at Washington and how extraordin-
arily misinformed the American Am
basasdor at Toxic, Mr.. OBrien, was
may be judged from Mr.. knox's pro.