The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-02-03
NuuA Rturr 6lattRr
Subscription, $500 Per Year.
THE JAPANESE CONFERENCE

ownership is worthy of initiation. II
has been pointed out that any state
taking a forward anti-Japanese step
over sister states will feel the penalty
of Withdrawn shipping connections
from Nippon. Let all Of the coast
states, at least, act in accord, and the
japanese can have no reason for dis
playing partIality.
it is true that California can go no
further in legislation against japanese
land ownership or control. But Cal
ifornia should sit in on the conference
and show the legislators of the other
states what forms of laws are needed.
Then the other states should adopt
similar laws.
We of the Pacific Coast are to blame,
in that we ever welcomed the Japan
ese among US. 1t is primarily our own
fault that the people of the alien race
have come and settled in such num-
bers that friction has resulted.
We hear much talk about brotherly
love and race equality. They are all
beside the point. The japanese are an
admirable people. The Lord have
mercy on our own nation if we fail to
renew within our own social strata
some of the principles of thrifty ag-
gresson that our contact with the Jap
anese apparently shows US we have
lost. We have heard some, who oppose
their presence here, base their charges
on the allegations that the Japanese
work too hard. We have no sympathy
withgthi criticism. Right here in the
Hood River valley japanese farmers
have shown us that they can beat us
in the business of strawberry growing. |
But they grow Strawberries. They
work at their job. We criticise them
about their lower standard Of living.
Maybe their women work little. OF
course, we Americans will not, nor
should, tolerate making farm hands of
our womenfolk. But, if the male of
the species Of us Americans of today
would work more than we talk, then
we might say more about the low
standard of the japanese and make it
stick. The successful japanese farmer ,
soon becomes a good spender. He
visits the grocery store and the meat :
market and he buys literally and pays
his bills. 1t may be policy if it is it's
a good one, that you never hear of a
Japanese dead beat. |
We point out all of these things in
fairness to the Japanese and then we I
recall that racial difference that should ET
long ago have disclosed itself to US and q
pointed out that we cannot maintain in t
one land two peoples. both proud, both )
and both aggressive, and q
yet, 50 absolutely different. without '
an ever increasing friction. But we i
Of the Pacific Coast first allowed the d
Japanese to come. Originally the most s
If them were servants, and all was 8
well while this status of the aliens s
ai ted. We did not urge action by the
national government. We were rather
glad to have them. We boasted of our r.
Japanese cooks and our Japanese farm O
hands. They helped to clear the land n
and to build the railroads. Then they Il
entered on a new plane, as owners and b
tillers of the soil. They 81
we're different, SO different and non. q
that no intermarriages took
place. There was no inter-fusing in G
The melting pot. We see today the e
friction. ii
We talk of trouble between America d
and Japan. We cannot. rush it along p
any faster than by increasing the num-
)ers Of japanese in this country. For
! decade California, first to feel the v
aggression of the japanese as a par F
icipant in business and agriculture, "
las urged the national government to re
lct in such wise as to end immigration m
t may be argued that there is no Jap Nv
inese immigration, but in fact their 81
numbers have been increasing until OF
Jalifornians are alarmed over their C,
peaceful penetration. Standardized Il
tate laws. such as California already s,
las, will certainly indicate to the fed fl
.ral authorities that we have reached
i point Of emergency here on the
'acifc Coast. There should be friend cc
y intercourse between America and q
apan. The latter, not century ago, m
vas slumbering, still dreaming of the 81
last, when the young giant Of the re-
Vest, through Commodore Perry. broke ne
he spell. Japan owes much of her In
restige in world affairs Of today to
lmerica's kindness. America helped
er to find herself 1,
Japan should limit herself in the way ~.
f colonization, even in a limited way, 80
D the Orient. We can and should aid
er with the development of Or ienta
We must prevent a further ~.
1ning of her peoples into our own =.
md. Already the friction aroused -.
lrcugh racial dissimIlarity has aroused
'urnallstlc eEaggeratlOPs and sensa-
onal news. Let US proceed on 20.
-ifting course, and in the not distant -,
lture these little frictions, so far
cal or sectional, may start a national
re.
The proposed conference, however. ,-a
-ould not be permitted to divert Ore plg
n from some real legislative action Fr
gaInst Japanese land ownership. G
big
IL ls no new problem, that Of inter cir
ting the youth Of the land in the EIi
~ al