The Washington herald., 1922-11-19


The two events to which / have
reference, are:
First: The decision which the
United States Supreme Court must
hand down rs the constitutionality
Of the California Anti-Alien Land
Law.
Second: The action which Con-
gress will be called upon to take ut
the opening Of the next regular ses-
rsiop in December upon the bill pre-
seHted by Representative Albert
johnson, chairman Of the House Inn
migration Committee.
The johnson bin. among other pro-
visions contains a clause which would
hereafter exclude as immigrants and
permanent residents, aliens who,
after their arrival, would not be
permitted under the naturalization
laws of this country. to become
American citizens; and must. there
fore, remain an alien, unassiliable
body.
WOULD RESENT BAN.
That Congress will pass the John
son bill is declared by representa-
tive Congressman to be q foregone
conclusion. The only step which
can prevent its passage, 1t is pointed
out, can be a move by the American
Department of State to enter into
negotiations with the Imperial jap
anese Government for the drafting
of a new "Gentlemen's Agreement" :"
| Under that agreement the Japanese
government binds itself TO refuse
passport to the United States Of all
Japanese nationals who are. neither
students, tourists nor officials. The
object of the pact was to stop en-
irely the entry of laborers.
Although the Japanese govern
ment has made an effort to observe
| The provisions set forth in the pres
ent "Gentlemen's, Agreement" that
.reaty has failed to serve the end
| for which IL was created. Repre-
sentative Isaac Seigel, of the House
| Immigration Committee. points out
| hat even while the treaty is operat-
| ing, more than twice as many Jap
\ anese are entering the country an
| nually, as would be permitted under
he letter of the immigration law.
Obviously. an act of Congress,
4 forbidding the immigration OF per-
! sons ineligible to citizenship. would
he aimed directly al japan. and would
| be bitterly resented there. 1t would
| amount 10 virtual disapproval by the
| Congress of the United States Of the
act passed by the State legislatuer
| of California in 1920. the constitu-
tionality of which the Supreme
Court now has on it's fall docket.
In view of the fact that in Cali
fornia. Oregon. Washington and for
i hat matter British Columbia in
Canada. the Japanese peaceful pene'
| ration" is still looked upon in the
| light Of an invasion of very great
| menace to the economic life OF those
| territories, the decision which the
| United States Supreme Court haDds
| down in the case Of W.. l.. Porter
field and Y. Mizuno versus u. 8.
| Webb. attorney general OF the State
| of California and Thomas Lee Wool
wine. district. attorney OF Los
Angeles county, must have. for
them. the nature Of a momentous
decision. In my belief the interest
which the matter holds for the Am
arican citizens of the West extends
with eaual gravity TO citizens
throughout the United States.
\ NATIONAL PROBLEM.
The consequences may prove so
sweeping as to become national in
| aspect rather than purely sectional.
Let us suppose that the Supreme
| Court decided adversely to the STATE
of California in the alien land law
case-that is to say, found that Y.
Mizuno had the right to lease certain
farm land in California from Mr..
Porterfield. Such a decision would
hold the California act unconstitu-
Il of
a majority of Californians as eX-
pressed at the polls in 1920. There
are many disinterested Fasteners
whom I find believing that CaHfor-
MIA is more or less alone in it's anti
Japanese attitude. Far from it;
| California is closely supported in
every move she takes against the
yellow man of Asia by the sovereign
States of Texas. Washington, Ore
/ gon. Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado.
| Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and
| Montana.
| II is likewise interesting to note
| that the Japanese now engaged in
AGRICULTURAL pursuits in California
/ number, 1880, of whom 1.093 are
land owners and 6,402 tenant farm
ers. The number of acres cultivated
by the Nipponese is estimated at
/ 900, ,470, the average acreage per
farm being forty and the value of
their farm products per year being
estimated at $33 .000. 900. Before the
passage of the California State land
law japanese in California were l.
gagged on an extensive scale in farm.
ing, owning and, in turn. leasing out
farm lands. Japanese concentrated
in the cities and in enterprises other
than agriculture number close to
65, 900, bringing the total number OF
Japanese Considerably above the
100. 900 mark.
| 1t Is a fact worthy of consideration
at this time that newspapers in ia
pan, copies of which l receive regu
larry, are conducting campaigns OF
extreme bitterness III an effort tc
arouse the Japanese populace to raise
a voice of common protest to Their
own government against the action