The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-06-09
THE JAPANESE PROTEST

The protest of the Japanese gov
eminent against the passage OF the
Japanese exclusion section of the
immigration bill is entirely friend
~ and respectful in tone, but 1t Is
difficult to see how it can accom-
plish anything.
There is no denial that the ques-
ton Of immigration is purely do
mestic one, nor has there been any
denial OF this by Americans who
have objected to the action OF Con-
gress.
The affair has been badly bung-
led all round. The Japanese am
bassador was unfortunate in his
choice of words. Secretary
Hughes, knowing the Senate as he
does, should not have transmitted
the document to the Senate with
out having sought to have the Ian
guage modified, and Senator Lodge,
chairman of the committee on for
eign relations, was not called on to
take the attitude or to put the
country and Senate in the attitude
of taking a dare" especially as it
was perfectly clear that no dare
had been intended.
Certain it is that the grave con-
sequences" of which the ambassa-
dor spoke have followed, as the
Senate should have known they
would. 1t might have been taken
for granted that there were dema-
gogues, jingoists and yellow jour
nails in Japan, for we know that
there are many of them in this
country.
They have not gone further than
their brethren in America would
have gone under similar conditions
have not indeed gone further
than these gentry calling them
selves Americans have many times
gone. 1t is always this class in all
countries that is first heard from
and most violently.
Even now in Japan there are
many people and powerful influ-
ences that are working for con-
| tinued good will between the two
nations. 1t certainly is the duty
of our people and their government
to cooperate with them in every
way possible.
1t is time for measured speech
and ordered action" The protest
itself will be dealt with by our
State Department. which will,
while yielding no right, labor to
repair as far as may be the evil
that has been wrought.
The situation is deplorable, all
the more so since there is no rea-
son why it should have risen.
Everything that our government
sought might have been had with
out in any way disturbing the re-
! lations between the two peoples.
| 1t should be remembered, to the
credit of Japan. That she has al
ways manifested feeling of the
utmost friendliness to this country
and ever been prompt to meet our
| wishes. On the contrary. we in
| America have for years been
cul sed with noisy contingent OF
n-baiters, who by their very
warnings against the probability
of war with Japan have done their
best to provoke it have almost
seemed to wish it and to be deter
mined to have it.
Others there are who have seen
this nation wholly controlled by
the yellow race as the result of the
"invasion' of America by so Jap
anese year.
Let it be fully admitted that we
have the sole right to say who shall
and shall not enter the country and
to determine who shall be admitted
to naturalization. But let it also
be said that great nation ought
never to act the part of boor, OF
needlessly offend other nations -
even though they are inhabited by
yellow people.-Indianapolis News