The Washington times., 1920-01-04

cans 10 learn that California is rapidly
4 increasing its Japanese population
through the increase OF Americanborn
children OF Japanese parentage.
Through a strange Oriental invention
known as ''the picture bride" the Japanese
has found a way OF establishing his race
in this country and defeating the agree
ments and laws that aim to prevent that
result. Under the "gentlemens agree
ment" with Japan merchants and others
from that country can enter while Japan
undertakes to prevent the emigration OF
Japanese laborers to America.
The Japanese Government at last prom
ises to stop the passports for these pic
tpre brides. What new device will be
arranged to get these brides in?
The japanese man comes here alone and
establishes a foothold as a merchant" or
farmer. He does not incur the risk,
trouble and expense of bringing a wife
with him. AS soon as he needs help he
sends to Japan for bride" He accepts
her on the strength Of her photograph.
buys her from her parents for trine and
she is shipped to him without having a
word to say about the bargain herself.
In California she slaves for her husband
from dawn to midnight without pay and
bears him a child every year almost in
variably. Under Japanese law and custom
she has no rights, and under American law
she is similarly situated, for she is for
eigner and we allow her to be ruled by
Japanese laws. -
When her youthful freshness has worn
of her husband can divorce her in the
simplest manner and sell her to some Jap
anese truck farmer who needs woman
laborer for the hardest kind of work in the
fields Of California.
Then the thrifty husband can send for a
new picture bride" from the land Of
cherry blossoms and with her aid con-
tinue his labor Of colonizing California.
The Los Angeles Examiner, in a series
OF stirring articles, has called attention to
the steady colonization Of Southern Cali
fornia by Japanese and to the cruel treat
ment. from an American standpoint. Of the
wives. who are without legal rights and
are treated as merchandise to be bought
and sold Other local newspapers have
sokcn of the same conditions, but the
Vhoi country needs to be aroused to the
t1ct that California is being steadily con-
~1;,t into Japanese community under
Z, .oveynment policy, which is supposed
- ""clude Japanese immigration.
There are now 10000 native-born chill
dren of Japanese parentage in the State.
Li ten years there has been an increase OF
900 per cent in the number Of japanese
rl.ilbrpp horn in California Tho rate nf
increase is steadily rising. Ten years ago
there were but 346 children born of jap
anese parents in year. In the past year
the number has risen to 1920. In one
northern California county 176 children
were born of Japanese parents and but So
white children.
In one recent month the county health
records show that one-third of the children
born in Los Angeles County, outside the
incorporated cities, were OF Japanese de-
scent.
The picture bride" system became
popular ten years ago. Upward Of 100000
of these brides have entered the United
States since then. Estimate their produc-
tivity at modest five children each and
we have half a million, a potential nation
Of Japanese.
The anti-Japanese land bills passed by
California have been rendered entirely in
effective by the swarm Of nativebOrn chill
dren of Japanese parentage. The Japan
ese wishing to hold land can always put
the title in the name of a nativeborn
child. Under this arrangement they have
become owners of the choicest agricultural
land in California. The Santa Clara, Sac
ramento and San Joaquin valleys are local
tiles where they swarm.
One intelligent investigator makes this
startling prediction:
"If the present birth ratio were main
tanned for the next ten years there would
be 10000 children Of Japanese descent
born in California in 1929 and but 4O,O0s
white children. And in 1949 the majority
of the population of California would be
Japanese, ruling the State"
The method by which the Japanese set
tier acquires his bride Is entertaining and
illustrative of the peculiarities Of Japanese
civilization. When his American business
has progressed sufficiently to call for the
need of an assistant, to mind the store
when he is out, to do the cooking, to min
lister to his needs and so forth, he writes
to a relation or friend in Japan saying
that he needs a wife, young, good looking
and able to work.
The person to whom he writes may be a
professional matrimonial agent, called
"nakodo." He sends to California some
photographs OF few eligible girls. From
these our settler picks his bride and writes
back to Japan specifying his choice. the
next letter from home Informs him that