The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-02-08
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} WASHINGTON LETTER. G
} By ]. Il. JONES. g
0oOoo0O000 coo
Tightening Up Gentlemen's
Agreements.

quite ready to agree to the proposal
made some weeks ago by Senator Pen
rose that the management Of foreign
relations be taken over b ythe Senate.
If 1t needed anything to convince the
Californian to that belief, he has been
furnished ample grounds for disap-
proval Of the State Department policy
in the diplomatic collaborations Of our
own State Department with the ia
panese. California insists that It is
quite capable Of making its own land
laws in such way as to protect its
citizens from being override nby the
yellow race. The Calfronians find
yer ylittle difference of opinion among
themselves regarding this solemn
question. 1t has been charged that in
past years, particularly in the early
days Of the Roosevelt and Taft admin
istrations, that the Californians ex-
hibited something of a lingo spirit
concerning the inroads of the laps.
The western state has therefore very
calmly and deliberately fortified itself
against any criticism of this kind in
the passage of what it regards as a
thoroughly American law to meet the
conditions with which it has to deal.
Senator Johnson in condemning the
Tightening up of gentleme's agree
ments" with Japan says that resort
is had not to American courts, but to
American diplomats" He is sustained
generally in Washington in the charge
that he makes to the effect that the
State Department is ruthlessly over
riding the acts of the peopel of the
State of California. And the peppery
Californian does not propose to stand
for it.
There is odisguising the fact that
our relations with Japan have been
taut for some time. One is reminded
o fthe old boast made by Mexicans
that they could whip the United States
if they could only get through Texas
The Japanese entertain an equal con-
fidence, ''if they could get through
California. And Californians are not
at all afraid to have the Japs try it
They realize that they face crisis in
maintaining their racial supremacy
and they are perfectly willing to as.
sumo the responsibilities of the stu.
alton. The Fedora government, on the
other hand, is continually trying tC
mollify the Japs, who are always max
ing unreasonable demands upon the
United States respecting the status OF
the Japanese people in this country.
COlby's Junket.
Secretary of State Colby is back
from South America. where he trav-
eled in regal splendor, with battle
ship to house his party. For success.
full posing the Gamer men have never
had better subjects than the Colby
party. The commercial interests OF
North and South America have been
reaching toward one another in eff.
forts to get together" for many
years. Mr.. Colby doubtless felt that
during his brief tenure in office he
could be spared from Washington tC
help promote better feeling between
the peoples of the western hemi.
sphere, and he therefore organized q
iunket that travelled fast enough to gel
him home before any positive an,
nount ament was made as to who
would be his successor.
The best minds in Washington are
agreed that the development of an
American merchant marine furnishes
the only solution that can be brought
to bear in solving this great problem
of our foreign trade. A big start was
made during the war, but the emer'
gencies that came with fighting lef
the same trail of waste in the story
of shipping that is found in every
phase of war activities. The result |:
that the Shippinb Board has become
sort of football, and everyone that has
wanted to start something, takes
kick at 1t; whereas there is doubles:
no peace-time agency that could alb
corg more permanent benefit if giver
constructive help, than the Shippint
Board. Just what the fate of this
Government Bureau will be is hare
to determine. But given proper sup
port our merchant marine doubtless
solves all of on rproblems of foreigl
trade.
Proud OF His Enemies.
Postmaster General Burleson ad-
mits his unpopularity. 81 believe it tt
be true that l have more enemies ant
have ben more generally denounced
than any of the Others" he says. Il
has not, however, robbed me of m,
serenity of mind or spoiled either m!
disposition or my appetite. You see