The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-12-14

: Capt Wilbur admits that the prob
/ lem is one which should be adjusted by
the federal government, primarily by
, treaty negotiation and then with legis-
? lation, but he has lost patience with
the federal government. Nearly ten
! years ago Capt. Wilbur, then a mem
ber of the state senate. prepared bill
very much along the line OF what later
was enacted in California and Wash
: ington, but in Difference to representa-
tions made in behalf of the Wilson adj
ministration he reluctantly withheld it.
What Capt. Wilbur fears is that the
nation at largegand the authorities at
Washington will not appreciate until
too late the acutenegs of the problem
as it presents itself in neighborhoods
invaded by the thrifty, intelligent Jap
anese. Unless the Pacific Coast states
persist in their enactments and en-
forcements the situation may drag
along, he fears, until the Japanese
gain such a hold on those neighbor-
hoods that genuine race problem will
be presented, a problem which might
lead to local conflict and the most seTi-
GUS international consequences. He
feels he is pursuing the course that is
most certain to avert the very war
that would be invited were the Japan
ese permitted to strengthen their hold
to the point that mob action would be
taken against them. The fact that |
Capt. Wilbur takes such a far-sighted |
view of the whole question makes him
a formidable protagonist. Most of |
those who support this legislation do |
so simply from motives for racial an
tipathy and without regard to ultimate
consequences. Usually it is the class
that prates against war which is loud
est in its shouting for legislation which
insults friendly nation. Such is es.
pecially true in this instance, barring
few thoughtful leaders. The mass
of Oregon people, like those of Cali
fornia and Washington, will support
anti-Japanese land legislation with
that peculiarly savage JOY which from
the dawn of time has animated racial
conflict. They give little or no consid-
GRAFTON to the fact that the Japanese
are proud and spirited people of high
culture and sensitive honor, who are
no likely to remain pacific under wan
ton insult
The United States has treaty with
Japan which pledges our country to
extend to Japanese nationals the same
treatment accorded to the nationals of
any other country. Whether legisla-
tion aimed at Japanese and applying
only to members of the yellow race
will be declared unconstitutional on
the ground of conflict with the exist
ing treaty is question which as yet
has not been decided by the u. S. Su-
oreme Court. Should that court rule
hat the treaty has been violated, the
anti laws of the three Pacific Coast
Itates would be mere scraps of paper,
ind the entire question left to the
reaty-making powers for adjustment.
Revision Of the treaty is now pending.
md it is hoped some accommodation Il
an be reached that will be acceptable Fl
o a friendly nation while protecting
he Pacific Coast states from develop
nent of a racial problem that sooner
# later will lead to irritation, mob
iolence and war.
The question facing the Oregon Leg
stature this winter is whether it is
dvisable for Oregon to place herself D
n the company of Washington and Cal
fornia as states which enact discrim- Is
1atory legislation which cannot be en-
orced until treaty rights have been
etermined by our own courts and re III
diusted by our own country with a a
alton which has the same interest we u
ave in avoiding irritation, conflict and d
uestion. and it is to be hoped the Ore-
on legislature will not permit itself
, be stampeded into hasty action. q