The Washington times., 1921-01-30
NEAR
!: WITH Japan
Situation Between u. S. and
Japan Critical Over Cali
fornia Law Issue.

The situation between the United
States and Japan over the California
land law issue has reached an ex-
tremely serious and critical state II
was learned officially today.
This information was obtained
after Senator Johnson OF California
had made "A public statement de-
nouncing the "gentleman's agree
ment" reached by Ambassador Nor
ris, representing the State Depart
ment, and Ambassador Shidehara OF
Japan, as creating IAN intolerable"
state of Affairs. The agreement. the
senator said, will be resisted by Cali
fornia Gin every legitimate and legal
fashion"
COLBY IN CONFERENCE.
Under it's provisions the California
land law will be extended TO prevent
all. aliens from acquiring land In
California, but gives full civil
rights" including the privilege OF
holding property TO all Japanese now
in the United States. Furthermore,
IL provides that Japanese immiGra-
ton shall be regulated by more
Drastic "gentleman's agreement but
not by treaty.
Secretary Colby had twvhours'
conference with President Wilson yes
terday. While he maintained that IL
was largely occupied with a report
on his. recent visit TO South America.
II is understood that the Japanese
question was exhaustively discussed.
So serious Is the situation that "
was reported today the President VIII
send a special message to Congress
taking pretty much the same attitude
toward, the Morris-Shidehara agree
ment that he assumed when he de-
manded that the Panama canal tolls
be repealed
On that occasion he Informed Con-
gress that IL 1t did not agree to repeal
the tolls as demanded by Great Brit
ain he did not know what he would
be able to do.
JAPAN MAKES CONCESSIONS.
The State Department takes the
view, according to one high omcial,
that Japan has made all the conces-
sions possible without admitting
racial inferiority, which she positive
Iy refuses to do. He expressed belief
that IL Congress did not adopt this
view 1t would provoke Japan to war.
The Foreign Relations Committee
of the Senate and the Foreign Affairs
Committee OF the House are under
stood TO be as much opposed to ac-
cepting the agreement as is Senator
Johnson.
When the Senator's statement was
submitted to Secretary of state Colby
he expressed belief that IL was based
upon "some erroneous Impressions
1t is understood thai Senator john
son obtained his information as to the
contents of the agreement from Am
bassador Morris himself.
COLBY STATEMENT.
Secretary Colby issued the follow
ing statHment: ~
| My11attention has been called to a
ps tatehent issued by Senator Hiram
Johnson. of California. which pro-
ceeds upon quite erroneous as
sumption as to the trend and pGr-
port of the conversations which have
been going on for some weeks he
tween Ambassador Morris and the
Japanese ambassador relative 10 the
so-called California Japanese situa-
ton.
THE Senator is not UNIFORMED as
to the course these colvcrsati ions
have taken. and / am therefor" sur
prised that he should feel called up
on to throw himself into a defensive
posture against dangers which he
describes, but which i am INFORM "a,
he has been assured do not present
themselves
"The State Department is charged
with the duty of pursuing these i'm
portant discussions with sober re-
gard to the facts, and this 1T has
sought to do with a proper consid-
Grafton for every interested point
Of view.
Il am not speaking In any spirit
of criticism of Senator Johnson, with
whom / have long had the most
agreeable and friendly relations, but
he must know, as a member of the
Foreign Relations Committee of the
Senate. that even IL the fear to which
he gives expression, that the state
Department is moving too rapidly in
the direction ofs treaty, that a
treaty can have no effect without its
submission in due course to the
Senate, and, under the latter's prac-
tice, it's minute examination by the
Senator's Committee"