Evening star., 1922-11-23
Congress Retains Power to Say
Who Shall Be Citizens.

While there is a distinct difference
of opinion editorially expressed con-
cerning the merits of the supreme
Court decision that Japanese cannot
be naturalized, it is agreed that II Is
important that the right OF Con-
gress to determine who shall anu
who shall not enjoy such privilege Is
most important. Editors also are
divided whether the decision will re-
suit in strained relations between the
two countries, but the majority an
ticipate that it will not.
While the Japanese "jingoes' Will
storm, in the opinion of the Mfnne-
apolis Tribune, there is reason 10
believe the people of both countries
take a more reasonable and less pro-
yocatiye attitude than formerly TO-
ward the whole question of japanese
privilege in this country. 1t is now
more fully recognized that sharp d.
yergences in moral. social and 1ndus-
trial standards do not necessarily
signify superiority or infer!ority on
either side" The Chattanooga Times
also feels certain that 1.-The decision
cannot and will not involve any issue
%
relations with Japan" And. lnasmucn
as "the Japanese are not white men,
the Wheeling Register says, IF our
laws exclude them from citizenship
they will abide by the decision Win
out recourse to threats There is an
excellent reason for this opinion, IN
the view of the Providence journal.
and that is, so far as the limitation
of naturalization to white persons is
concerned, that has been the rule
almost from the beginning OF the
government. The exception in faVor
Of the blacks was introduced follow
ing the civil war
The decision suggests to the Toledo
Blade that "a system of penalizlns
non-voters would do away completely
with the carrying Of elections by MI
norities, "inasmuch as this case snow
cd how much the Japanese petition
ers valued their right OF citizenship.
The non-voter. the Blade continues, rs
responsible for an immeasurab ble
amount of evil which has been Wis
ited upon this nation. Why shouldn t
he be required to pay for it?' But
the Lafayette Journal Courier argues
that the decision must be regarded
entirely on it's merits, because we
have one almost hopeless race prop
lem. We cannot afford another. Ex-
clusion Is in the interest of the
J
ours" 1t also clarifies the problem
the Chicago News asserts. inasmuch
as "it Is within the power of Con-
gress to revise the naturalization
laws and extend or reduce the zone
referred to in the courts decision.
In other words. political and diplo-
matic questions are reserved, as they
should be, to Congress and the peo-
pie The judiciary may not 1egislate
under the pretense of constituting and
applying provisions of organic or
statutory law" Furthermore, the
Memphis Commercial-Appeal sug-
gests that eff the government can
refuse citizenship on the grounds OF
race and color 1t can also refuse
citizenship for many other reasons.
And it would be a good thing for the
future status of the country If we
should look more closely into the
state of mind and possibilities for
efficiency and loyalty of. future immt-
grants to this country"
Dangers must be faced as a result
of the decision. the Binghamton
Press argues, because at needs no
great knowledge of history or of hu-
man nature to teach us that nation
which contains a large body of peo-
pie who cannot become citizens is IN
the same danger as q church which
contains a large body of people who
do not pretend to adhere to its ethi-
cal principles. AS an act of SELF
protection the nation can keep peo-
pie out who are not eligible for
citizenship, but il we admit people
who cannot be naturaliZed, or IL we
persist in denying citizenship rights
to those already here, we begin to
mark of the population into fixed
classes. And the moment we do that
we deny the democratic principle on
which this nation was founded"
'This Tightening in anti-Asiatic
policy will doubtless inf1ame that sec
ton of Japanese feeling which is
already bitter toward Americans,
says the Baltimore Sun, "but. the fact
remains that our course in this mat
ter is closely paralleled by the atti-
tude of the Japanese government to-
ward the white races" In addition,
the Philadelphia Public Ledger feels
that "this final decision is in line
and in harmony with the whole sweep
Of our enactments and decisions and
it does reflect the American wish and
determination" The New York Times
points out that nothing Is really
changed by the opinion Of the Su-
preme Court, which simply interprets
the true intent Of Congress in en-
acting the naturalization law; while
the New York World explains that
at lies within the discretion Of Con-
Rress to raise the bars against all
but Caucasians and Africans, for rea-
sons good or bad. but expressed In
the form OF law. It 10 thus entirely .
matter Of policy.
Carefully reviewing, the entire de-