The Washington times., 1922-11-19


The two events to which l have
reference. are:
First The decision which the
United States Supreme Court must
hand down as the cOnstitutionality
Of the California Anti.Aiien Land
Law.
Second The action which Con.
gress will be called upon to take ut
| the opening of the next regular ses.
sion In December upon the bill pre-
sented by Representative Albert
johnson, chairman Of the House I'm.
migration Committee.
The Johnson BILL 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 foregone
conclusion. The only step which
can prevent it's 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-
| tirely 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
treaty has failed to serve the END
| for which ii was created. Repre-
sentative Isaac Seigel, Of the House
| Immigration Committee. points out
| that 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
| the letter Of the immigration law.
! Obviously, an act OF congress-
| forbidding the immigration OF per.
sons ineligible to citizenship, wouid
he aimed directly at Japan. and would
1
j amount to virtual disapproval by the
| Congress of the United States>of the
act passed by the State legislator
of California in 1920. the constitu.
tionality of which the Supreme
| Court now has on its fall docket.
|. In view of the fact that In can
sornia, Oregon, Washington and for
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 haDus
| down in the case Of w. l.. Porter
| field and Y. Mizuno versus U. 3.
| Webb, attorney general of the S'ate
of California and Thomas Lee Wool
wine. district attorney OF Los
| Angeles county, must have, tor
| them, the nature Of a momentous
decision. In my belief the interest
| which the matter holds for the Am
| erican citizens Of the West extends
| with equal gravity to citizens
| throughout the United States.
A NATIONAL PROBLEM.
| The consequences may prove 30
| 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.
tional. 1t would negate the VIII OF
a majority of Californians as ex-
pressed at the polls in 1920. There
are many disinterested Fasteners
| whom I find believing that Califor.
MA il more or less alone In Its anti
tApa nese attitude. Far from It;
CALIFORNIA is closely supported In
every move she takes against the
yellow han of Asia by the sovereign
States OF Texas, Washington, Ore
gon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming and
Montana.
1t is likewise interesting to note
that the Japanese now engaged in
agricultural pursuits, in California
number, $3.50, Of whom 1893 are
land owners and 6,402 tenant farm.
ers. The number of acres cultivated
by the Nipponese Is estimated at
300,4 ,47O, the average acreage per
farm being forty and. the value of
their farm products per year being
estimated at 10000 900. Before the
passage OF the California State land
law Japanese in California were i.
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
| 6s, 900, bringing the total number of
Japanese considerably above the
100, 900 mark.
It In a fact worthy Of consideration
at this time that newspapers In ia
pan, copies Of which / receive regu.
iarly, are conducting campaigns of
extreme bitterness IN an effort to
arouse the Japanese populace to raise
voice OF common protest to their
own government against the action
proposed In the Congress by Con.