Evening star., 1921-07-23
.CALLSF0R DETAILS
Of JAPANESE PACT
House Committee Stirred by
Report of Flooding
of Hawaii.

Informed that Hawaii was being
flooded with Japanese. the House i'm
migration committee asked the State
Department yesterday to furnish de-
tails Of the "gentlemen's agreement"
of 1908. with respect to Japanese con-
troll of immigration to the United
States. Diplmoatic correspondence
leading to the understanding, which
the committee ia told does not apply
to Hawaii, never has been made pub
lie and the committee decided to in
vestigate.
Despite contentious of some mem
this time might impede plans for in
ternational conference on disarmament
and Pacific questions. the committee
decided to 60 into the thirteen-year
old immigration arrangement, after
it had heard J. "; A. McMurray, chief
of the State Department, and had re-
ceived telegram from v. 8. Nc
Clatchy. Sacramento. Calf, publisher.
dealing with the general subject OF
Japanese immigration.
The committee has under considera-
tion a resolution which would author
ize the President to lift the immigra-
tion ban in Hawaii to meet seasonal
requirements for labor by importing
Chinese and thus to aid the insular
territory to get over the rough
economic spots. The resolution was
Immediately subordinated to the
broader question.
U. 8. Diplomntically Bound.
Mr.. McMurray told the committee that
n.ent as applying to Hawaii. and
added incidentally that inasmuch as
1t was voluntary proposition from
Japan, this country was diplomatical-
ly bound until the other party to the
understanding should withdraw.
His statement concerning Hawaii
brought from Chairman Johnson the
exclamation that the time had ar
rived for a declaration that Hawaii
is part of the United States with
respect to Japan and all others"
Every angle of the exclusion ques-
tion was touched on in some form or
other. and members Of the committee
loopholes which they said apparently
were left in the agreement. They
denounced the practice Of permitting
picture brides" to enter this coun-
try. which Chairman johnson said
continued despite the diplomatic un-
derstanding.
Some Questions Unanswered.
Because of the delicacy Of the sub
ject. Mr.. McMurray answered most
HuCSSiohS 3 SudTuSuly anu some were
not answered at all. It was said that,
il the correspondence is forthcoming.
it would be gone into behind closed
doors. Mr.. johnson was not at all
certain the diplomatic exchanges
would bs supplied by the department,
and he planned to confer on that
phase with Secretary Hughes and
other department heads. He said.
however. that he saw no reason why
the documents should not be made
available to Congress. and deplored the
fact that half a dozen or more such
understandings as that entered into
with Japan had not required ratifica-
tion by the Senate.
Mr.. Mcclatchy's telegram. which
was read prior to Mr.. McMurray's
statement, warned of impending
racial. political and economic control
by the Japanese in the islands unless
the American government acted i'm
mediately. He neither supported nor
opposed the resolution which the COM
mittee had under consideration. but
declared that IL such were not the leg
islation deemed proper by Congress.
it should seek some other measures at
once.