Evening star., 1923-03-19
ORIENTAL QUESTION
ST|RS REPUBLICS
Action to Bar Japanese May
Be Taken at Santiago
Conference.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

B1 FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.
One of the surprise developments
OF the pan-American conference
which opens in Chile on March ~
may be action on the oriental imL
migration question. That subject,
unbeilnown to most people in the
United States. is becoming a genuine
problem in South America. The re-
publics that face the Pacific ocean,
both in Central and South America,
lock upon it as the most serious in
tcrna ational issue confronting them.
Tha. is especially the case with
Chile. Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and
Columbia.
Peru at the present moment is en-
So ged in delicate negotiations with
the Japanese government regarding
immigration of the Japanese labor
element. The Peruvian government
mas denounced an old treaty under
which Japanese were entitled to en-
ter Peru without restriction. Peru
now seeks "Gentlemen's agree
ment with Japan. such as the
United States effected in 1907. and
which will limit both the numbers
ard types of Japsnese subjects en-
! titled to set foot on Peruvian soil.
There are now some 10000 japanese
in Peru.
Fear Japanese immigration.
South American statesmen have
feared Japanese immigration on a
large scale ever since the United
States barred il. In many of the
Latin American republics Japanese
! are already domiciled in extensive
numbers. In Brazil. Chile and Ar
Sentlna they dominate the lesser in
dustries like barbering, fruit ped
ding. ice cream manufacture. lunch
counters and other minor businesses
which Greek and Italian immigrants
invade a1s in this country. They have
also taken up truck farming and
trult raising as they have in Cali
fcrnia. If Japanese continue to be
excluded from the Pacific coast OF
North America. both the United
states and Canada. many South
Americans are convinced the Nip
ponese are bound TO turn their stems
TO South America. Some Latin re-
pubic statesmen go so far 9 to say
! that if the Monroe doctrine is ever
seriously threatened the danger viii
come from Pacific penetration" by
oriental immigrants in South Amer
| lean countries.
Peru's effort TO limit immigra ton
oE agreement is typical of the fears
! cherlshed in many Latin republirs
The japanese minister at Buenos
Ares recently returned TO Toxic on
leave and claimed in newspaner
interview that the Argentine govern
lneht looked with favor upon Japan
, ese immigration.
Early in President Wilson's ad-
ministration. when William Jennings
, Bryan was Secretary of State. a GER
tdlll Soutn American government pro-
posed to the United States a definite
! asreement Tor safeguarding Latin
states abutting the Pacific against
oriental exploitation. The govern
ment in question said blood was
La TN Americas paramount issue.
The Latin civilization. it was rem
resented was in no danger from any
native element. either Indian or
negro, but it did fear it might nor he
aole to hold its own against an un-
restricted incursion of orientals. That
appiied' IL was explained. particularly
10 the japanese. who are clever. en-
! terprlslng and easily assinlilabIe in a
Latin American community
Question In Agenda.
Mr. Bryan gave no encouragement
TO the project of North -South
American understanding on the sub
Ject and the project was dropped
'ioush tne proposing power
argued that interests comprehended
by the Monroe doctrine were directly
involved
There is an Mem on the pan-Amar-
lcan conference ageada at SANTIAGO
Ehlch would permit of discussion Of
me oriental immigration question
us ofhcial title is: Rights OF Aliens
Nlthln American Republics" The ab
scence or Peru from the conference
eiihlnateS from any consideration OF
the problem the Latin country now
diplomatlcally at grips with it, Perm
Is DoycottIng the conference because
chile, it's official host, continues lac
cording to Peruvian allega tions) to
maltreat Peruvian subjects within
Chilean domain. despite the Tacna-
Arlca agreement signed at Washing
! ton. Bolivia will not confer at the
capital of Chile because the Chileans
! decline to discuss at the conference
! the retrocession of her window on
the Pacific" which Bolivia ceded to
Chile at the end of their conflict
Mexico, some Latin American authors
tiles believe, will repent of her boy
colt of Santiago and turn up there
with a delegation before it is too
late.
Some of Mexico's friends in wash
ington think the Obregon government
would promote its chances Of Ameri-
can recognition by attending the pan
American conference, instead of set
ting up advance recognition as a cor-
dition for Mexican participation.
Copyright. 1921