Imperial Valley press., 1921-08-11
ALIENS GE I
CONTROL. Of
LANDS BY
TRICK
States Attorney General Dis
sects Leases Made in I'M
perial Valley and Says
They Violate Alien Law.

Despite the fact that crop contracts
Or other forms of land leases in Cali
fornia are prohibited by the Alien
land law which was adopted by an ov-
erwhelming vote of the people Of the
state such contracts are being drawn
III Imperial Valley according to a
statement issued today by Attorney
General u. S. Webb, and he has writ
ten letters to all the district attor-
neys Of the state urging a vigorously
effort to enforce the provisions of the
law.
The contracts are drawn in such a
manner that the japanese actually be-
come lessees, although under the pro-
visions of the contracts they are
known as managers or sole agents for
the owner on crop percentage basis.
The attorney general in a statement
today said that the contracts are ode
signed to accomplish an unlawful pur-
pose, and is subterfuge knowingly
prepared to aid in violating the law"
He further said that it was evident
that those who drew up the contracts
had been advised by members of the
legal profession who have taken an
oath which should prevent their advi5
ing any course which violates the law.
Under the terms of the contracts
Mr.. Webb asserts, beneficial use of
agricultural lands is given to the Jap
anese as fully as it could be given oy
any character of lease that could be
framed, and he states that it is evident
that the documents are framed solely
to accomplish irglirectly an act that is
strictly prohibited by the alien land
law.
District Attorney Simon received a
copy of the letter written to all the
district attorneys of the state by Mr..
Webb, in which is stated that the fact
that the alien land law applies to citi-
zens and aliens alike, and an appeal
for strict enforcement of the law is
made.
The attorney generals sttNation
was called to the alleged violations of
the American Legion which instruc led
its secretary to inform the state Off
cial that the law was being indiscrim-
inately violated in Imperial county and
requesting that he take immediate
steps to bring about its enforcement
and prevent the japanese from obtain
ing new hold on large agricultural
acreages.
Within a short time after the Legion
aires had written to the attorney gen.
eral offering their assistance and in
formation of concrete cases of viola
tions of the alien land law United
States Commissioner r. B. Whitelaw
obtained copy of one of the leases
which is said to be in use in the north
ern part of the county where the jap
anese population is greatest. The
document was forwarded to the attor-
ney general for an opinion. There was
not a section of the long contract that
had to do directly with the handling of
the land that was not in violation of
the alien land law according the
opinion rendered by the attorney gen
eral. Immediately after the opinion
was received the district attorneys
of the state were instructed by the at
torney general to use their best efforts
in rounding up those interestd in such
contracts and prosecuting them under
the provisions of the land law.
The Ameican Legion of lInpeial Val.
lev has been active in the work of
passing anti-Japanese legislation and
it was largely due to their efforts IN
the county and the state as whole
that the anti-alien land law and other
similar legislation was pproved by. a
great majority of the voters at the
last general election. LegionnaireS
in Calexico are still gathering data
which may prove beneficial in the fight
to enforce the land law, and they have
offered their undivided support to the
attorney general in his effort to un
earth evidence Of violations of the law
in this case.