Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-04
JAPANESE EXCLUSION ACT
REQUESTED BY STEPHENS
California Executive Tells Secretary
Colby Nothing Loss Will 30
satisfactory.
VOTE ON MATTER IN STATE
Governor, in Reply to Cabinet Mem
her, Declares No Process Can
Halt the Rcfcrcndum-Docsn
Believe Japan Will BE Offended.
IByunlycrsal scrvicc1

tBy Universal Scrvicc.l
WASHINGTON. Sept. 3.-Retusing
a plea by Secretary OF State Colby
that action on the anti-Japanesc land
referendum DILL be postponed in Cali
fornia until adequate effort can be
made TO settle the question by heSoti-
alton by Japan. Governor William
ID. Stephens. of California, today per-
Sonally informed the secretary that
| nothing short of an exclusion act
applied to all Japanese immigration
into the United States would be salts
factory.
| The bill will come before the State
ut the November elections.
| Wants Referendum Withheld.
| Secretary Colby insisted that, IL
| the referendum could be withheld. he
would undertake TO obtain an agree
ment which would solve the question
to the complete satisfaction OF Cali
| fornia and at the same time give no
! ofTense 10 Japan. He intimatcd that
| Il might even be possible to induce
| Japan 10 issue n decree forbidd;mg
| her subjects 10 come TO this country
and preventing those now here from
purchasing or leasing land anywhere
| III the United States.
! Governor Stephens replied that the
| referendum has been ordered on the
| ballot by an initiative petition ana
cannot be removed by any process
under the law lilo declared, more
over, that the sentiment of tho
citizens OF his State will not toler-
ate any suggestion from any source
| st,nn Of
| portuni;y of expressing themselves
on the Japanese issue.
| Governor stephens Informed Sec
rotary Colby that the question Is
so important that 1t has become a
Federal and no longer a State ques-
ton. He declared it could be solved
| ny legislation TO keep all the Jap
ancsc out. lie urged that such legis-
lat!on be enacted for the purpose o:
putting teeth into the Ecntlcmen's
agreement"
i'assngc of hill Inevitable.
Tho California Governor said with
! pronounced emphasis tina; II will do
no good for the state Department or
any other branch OF the Federal gov
eminent to endeavor to prevent the
voters OF California from passing tho
bill Passage of the measure Is In
| cv!table, he said. and Interference by
the Federal government would scrrc
| to inGame the voters Il ID make them
more determined to roll up n big ma
jority.
At the close OF the conference,
which took place at the State De-
| partment, Secretary Colby requested
| Governor stephens TO talk the mat
| ter over with Roland s. Morris.
| United States minister to Japan. who
Is now In this country. Governor
/ stephens left tonight for New York,
where this conference will be held
! tomorrow. The Governor also paid
his respects at the White House and
talked over the Japanese question
with Secretary Daniels. Secretary
Alexander and Mr.. Tumulty. secre-
cary to the President
Secretary Colby told the newspa-
| perMen he was very much impressed
by the interview with tho Governor.
lie pronounced it as obstructive, IL
Illuminating and interesting" talk. lie
said he was very sanguine of being
able TO bring about a peaceful settle
ment of the question with Japan and
expressed the opinion that the way
had been considerably cleared by his
discussion with the California execu-
tive.
Is Patriotic View, Colby Says.
Governor stephens has n very log
zeal view Of the situation" said Score
tary Colby. "a patriotic American
view. He wants to meet the situa-
ton in an honorable fashion.
The most plausible effort of the
State Department perhaps would be
IN The direction Of attempting TO stop
the election in California hut we
have no intention OF doing that. We
cannot interfere with the election as
The machinery is all set for the vote
which is to be taken in November.
! Nevertheless. ] feel very sanguine OF
the settlement"
Governor stephens told Universal
| Service he had taken no part in the
! Japanese question in California until
| after II had ceased to be a polite ii
/ question. and because 1t was a matter
ehcct!ng the very existence OF the
/ State. He added: Il tried to impress
/. upon the officials I visited today the
fact that this is Il real question. af-
F., ItCN'hS tHc Wnplc nation. il can be
| settled only by Federal exclusion
ct. California will settle for herself
the matter OF land ownership.
I'VE don't mind the Japanese as q
race but we do not want to have &c
associate with them. We have moth.
Ing IN common with them Japan
probably realizes that as well a.
We do.
In my opinion the japanese ar,
too big race TO so TO war over snci
q question. She must realize that tn,
United states has tho same right :,
pass legislation Of this kind as hav,
the British Dominions. Japanese vii
accept the action OF this government
in a friendly spirit and without an,
fus."
Goveror Stephens met number O.
ola acquaintanccs here, as he was ;
:aamber OF the House OF Representa-
i!ves before becoming chief exccutiv,
o: California.
G. 0. P. PLOTTING
TO 'NEWRERRYl7E,