Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-02-18

! Neither President-elect Harding
nor his secretary-of- -State-apparent
Hughes, so far as is known out here,
has uttered any very pronounced
views on the subject. This but adds
to the feeling Of uncertainty along
what Go7. Stephens, of California,
calls fthe western edge of civiliza-
ton"
Harding Statement
When { delegation from California
paid visit to the we'll known front
porch at Marion, O., last September
to tell Mr.. Harding their side of the
story and hear his position on the
question, he said to them:
II do not doubt that Americans on
the coast are troubled in their minds
about the Oriental question, as it is
called. That question raises every
Interpretation of our watchword
America First" for it involves. sew
eral sets Of obligations.
ut involves our obligations to. the
great foreign powers; it involves the
obligations of all America towards
one group of American states and
their peoples.
But it also involves the obiga-
tions of that group of states to the
nation.
"There is abundant evidence of
the dangers which lurk in racial diff
ferences. do not say racial in
equalities-I say racial differences.
am ever ready to recognize that the
civilization of the Orient is older
! than ours, that her peoples have their
pride as we'll as their honorable ira
ditions.
Friction Recognized
"In spite of the honor of these
oriental peoples and in spite of their
contribution to the worlds advance
ment, it is conceivable that they be
so different in racial characteristics
or in manner of life as practiced by
other peoples of equal honor and
achievement that no matter whether
/ it be on the soil of the one or on
/ the soil of the other, these differ
ences, without raising any question
of inferiority or any superiority, may
create believe they have created
, on the Pacific coast-without blame
to either side-a friction that must
be recognized"
| Friends of the japanese here be-
lieve Harding "will do nothing rash,"
as one of them put it. They see in
Harding's mention of the reciprosity
of the obligations which the nation
and the various states owe to each
other reminder to California that
if she wants the nation to stand by
her, she, on her side, must not go to
extremes in dealing with the nation
ais of powers to whom the nation as
whole is responsible.
Such is one Interpretation. An
other by the ants, is that President
elect Harding has virtually pledged
himself to an exclusion program.
Cox Charges.
Still others quote Governor James
M. Cox, the Democratic nominee, as
charging Mr. Harding with quick
change of policy regarding the Jap
anese in California. Speaking in Sac
ramento two days after Harding's ut
terances on the Oriental immigration
problem, Cox declared Senator Hard
ing sent out to newspapers in ad-
vance the speech he inteded to make
to the California delegation but
! when Governor Stephens saw the
speech he said "This won't do" and
the senator changed the speech while
the governor sat on the front porch.
This incident is now being recall
Fed out here by some to prove" that
President-eleet Harding has no well. =.
defined Japanese program already
mapped out.
Believing the influence of Presi
dent Roosevelt is till upon the G.
O. P, both sides to the Japanese
controversy are now searching the
sayings of the immortal Teddy for a
grain of cheer. So far it has been
draw, or very nearly draw, though
the pro-Japanese claim Roosevelt was
on their side.
Roosevplt's Message.
America and Japan, by Col. The
odore Roosevelt" is a pamphlet
which VIM. D. Wheelright, or the
Oregon state child's welfare. board
! and one of the most Influential men
in the northwest, is using in his fight
! for the Japanese.
Doesn't any sane man know that
Japan's friendship is tiie best asset
! we car have in the Orient" Roose-