Omaha daily bee., 1920-12-10
No Need of.
War Scss - y,
Says Kahn.
Chairman of House Military
Affairs Body Not Impressed
With Threats Muttered
By japanese.
Urges Military Training

Washington, Dec. 9.-Discussing
the Japanese question freely and
frankly in a carefully prepared ad-
dress delivered today in the house,
Representative Kahn of California,
chairman of the military committee,
declared that America hoped always
to avoid war, and that if "the states
men. the publicists and the polit;-
clans, the agitators and the
demagogues Of Japan" really
wanted war with the United States
they would be the ones to bring it
on and not the Americans.
Mr. Kahn said he knew that he
voiced "the earnest hope and the
wish of every patriotic American
that peace between the two countries
may continue perpetually."
"But the world" said he, "has only
recently learned that we are not
too proud to fight; nor are we afraid
to fight when we are forced into
war"
Don't Fear War.
The military committee chairman
took occasion to reaffirm his belief
that universal military training
policy would best safeguard the
country and added:
81 have no fear that there will be
war between Japan and the United
States in my lifetime. nor even the
lifetime of my sons. And / am
thoroughly satisfied that if my coun-
try remains measureably prepared
there will be no difficulty between
the two nations at any time"
Mr.. Kahn briefly reviewed the
history of the relations between the
United States and Japan and with
regard to the Japanese immigration
problem in California, now the sub
ject of treaty negotiations between
the two governments, said students
of international law everywhere had
recognized the absolute right" Of
any nation to regulate immigration
as it deemed best. Even Japanese
students were familiar with univer-
sally accepted decisions on this
point, he said, ard added: w..
Agitators Are Blamed.
''It is. therefore. most unfortunate
that a constant agitation regarding
these matters is maintained by our
neighbors across the Pacific, because
the final effect of such propaganda
and agitation undoubtedly is to in
stall a pronounced hatred of Amer
ica and Americans among the masses
in Japan: :,
condition of affairs. Indeed, ! say
it is most serious condition. con-
dition that may result, unfortunately.
in grave difficulties between two
heretofore friendly nations"
The speaker said many public Of
ficials in Japan" as we'll as political
agitators, had tried to make the
world believe" that opposition to
immigration of Japanese laborers in
to the United States was biased
upon racial prejudice"
Object to Laboring Class.
I'VE of the Pacific coast deny that
this is the case" he declared. mo
objection has ever been made to the
admission into this country of Japa-
nese professional men, of Japanese
financiers, or Japanese religious
teachers or leaders or bona fde
Japanese merchants or Japanese
students or Japanese travellers. The
sole objection is to the laboring
class. ..
Whether the undesirables be
farmer laborers, skilled mechanics.
or unskilled coolies, l contend that
the objection is purely an economic
one. Japan herself is do
ing to the laborers of China and
Korea what she claims is racial
hate or prejudice when done by US
to Japanese laborers." e.
Representative Kahn called at
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