San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-19


Washington, ID. C.. April 19.-Thc
reaction in Japan, both grieved and in
disnant TO the exclusion clause of the
bill which the Senate
adopted Tuesday. is easily understood
BY those familiar with the japanese
viewpoint. That Ambassador Hani..
hara's phrase grave consequen e
could ever be interpreted ms vei'ed
threat OF severed diplomatic relations
and war, would never occur to a Jap
ancsc. On the other nand, that grave
consequence will follow IN the friend
X relations of the two countries
con. mercial. political aad dirlomat.c'-
seems certain. There is surprise that
the Senate should base its action so
largely on the unfort1natr use OF
phrase. even though Of an ambassa'
dor. rather than on the merits of sie
exclusion clause.
This is the principal reaosn that a
message from either President C0oi-
idgc or Secretary Hughes is expect%.
IL may at least take the sting or .he
situation. 1t probably will not change
it, as the administration VIII NOT
ieopardize the passage OF the immi-
gratin bill and throw the country
open TO unrestricted immigration
which would follow on June 80, when
the present law expires.
Hurts Japan's Prestige.
IL is apparent TO Both Americans
and Japanese that the exclusion clause
seriously affects Japan's standing with
all other nations as well as with the
United States. Beyond that It IL
viewed from entirely opposite angles
on the two sides of the Pacific.
Since the treaty of Portsmouth IN
1904. during the World War as one
of the Allies. at the Washington con-
ference rs one Of five great powers:
in the League of Nations and IN all
world affairs. Japan has been accept
cd rs the equal OF each OF them. Inc
exclusion clause creates n diplomatic
precedent for setting Japan in sep
arate class. While the immigration
from other countries is restricted by
uniform percentage. the door is Drus-
uuelv closed 70 Japan. This obviously
will affect Japan's standing with 9th
er nations though the grave cOnse-
duences" may not be rs pronounced as
her diplomats anticipate.
Japan is quite ready, even anxious,
10 promise the United States to stop
all NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. merchants,
tourists and professional classes. tenn
porarily in the country OF course NOT
being considered immigrants. This.
il is understood, has been impressed
on the State Department. 1t would
be an agreement outside the record
and Japan would consider it more as
an act of friendship and recognition
Of her prestige than as Illumination
before her world colleagues by bcing
placed in the least desirable class IN
the immigration bill. -,
Abrogates "Gentiemen's Agreement
The so-callcd "gentlemen's agree
ment" was such an understanding. Ma
tions. like individuals who had spe-
cial privilege, for instance, a railroad
PASS. are more indignant when that
concession is revoked than they would
he if it had been .sfused 70 them IN
the first place. The bill naturally alb
rocates the "gentlemen's agreement.
On this side of the Atlantic 1t is
difficult TO see why the Australian "S-
illusion act does not arouse the same
fuore in japan as the pending Ameri-
can bill. In the first place. Japan
regards Australia as only portion OF
the British Empire and accepts Its
colonial policies much as il does the
legislation of California, neither re-
fleeing the attitude of the entire ma
lion. More than that. Great Britain
has been the particular ally OF ia
pan, by treaty nd tradition. Even
with these allowances the action OF
Australia has seriously strained the
Japanese friendship or England.
While the attitude of California
has tended to offset both the friendli-
ness between Japan and the United
States which the Washington confer
erce solidified and the heartfelt graft
tude of the Japanese people for the
American assistance in the earthquake
disaster of only a few months ago. the
exclusion bill will make these kindly
sentiments merely a memory. To those
who are sticklers for diplomatic
phraseology. this nd the tangible re-
suits which follow. are easily inter-
preted as grave consequence
Big Issue to Japan.
The United States and China are
two commercial assets OF Japan. 1hey
are also Japan's ,wo neighbors. though
the width of intervening ocean diff
fers. Japan's interest in world .af-
fairs is practically summed up in her
relations 10 these two countries. In
the League of Nations. Japan seldom
raises her voice. unless it relates d.
rectly to her or to her relations with
the two countries or possibly Siberia.
Toward China. since the Washing
ton conference, Japan has outdone the
United States in policy of concilia-
ton. The United States. in addition
10 being the market for close TO 40 per
cent of Japan's exports, chiefly raw
silk which has been the nations eco
nor,ic backbone since the war, has a
weight of world affairs which China
does not have. Consequently. the re-
lations between japan and the United
States mean more TO japan in an in
ternational sense rs well as national,
than do her relations to any other ma
ton.
To Japan the American exclusion
clause is the one big issue of the day |
affecting the nations entire position |
and participation in world affairs. To
the United States it is considered
merely as one of the Al other ma
lions whose emigration is restricted.
The question of 14T immigrants a |
veor from Japau. the number which /