The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-04-29
ORR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS As
\ SOVEREIGN NATION

In spitc of the fact that practic
ing that the republic Of the Uni-e
states has been ana is great II
cess, III" American people are still
compelled to follow "A strange
course in some pnaseS Of intcrna
tionM relations.
There are nations in both Europe
and Asia that sem To think they
have a natural right to participate
in shaping the destiny OF the United
states. II is indeed difficult 10 eX
plain the attitude which the Old
world has toward the new.
Perhaps the old world still lta
sons in terms OF exploration and
settlement and concludes that it j.
the diyine.y appointed guardian q
the new world. PEI maps Europe
and Asia look upon the colonial
ton Of America as a sacred duty.
Perhaps they think that the United
States has no nationa! Char., :er
and is still IN open fell for any
KIND Cf Il change in race and IAN
gHagc.
At any rate, foreign nations still
expect to have a voice in the set
! Element Of American questions
which are pnrcly domestic.
Nearly "A century and Il half ago.
the United States became a s0ver-
cign nation. No other nation on
earth has maintained its Sover-
eighty with greater power or great
er dignity. Why then, should any
other sovereign nation even dream
Of taking part in our own matters
OF domestic legislation The ma
lions Of the old world do not at
tempt any such practice in their
own international relations.
There is no principle Of intornl-
tional law which gives enc sover-
eign nation the right 10 tell another
sovereign nation what it Should do
or what it should not do in writing
and enforcing immigration laws.
The independent republic of the
United States has the undisputed
right to stop immigration COM
pletely. to permit unrestricted i'm
migration, or to take any position
it may desire between the two eX-
tremes. No power on earth can
deny to the United States the right
to protect its own people and its
own Institutions
This may serve TO explain why
the Senate of the United States was
so outspoken and so prompt in its
reply to the Japanese ambassador
attempt to give the United States
some advice on Japanese immigra-
ton. The ambassador was hope
lessly "out of bounds" The
United States had not been guilty.
V OF any breach Of international
ethics: no treaty obligation had
been called into question.
Japan has no right to question
our motives No other nation ma:
given Japan better evidence OF
friendship. Surely japan has no
forgotten the arms conference ant
the helping hand that stretched
across the Pacific at the time of tn,
earthquake.
japanese exclusion in our immi
grafton laws has nothing to dt
with our attitude toward Japan a
a nation. The United States ha
never said that the Japanese arr
an inferiofarace.
We have said, and We repeat n
this time. that racial difference
should play an important part il
aly immigration policy. This j
not race hatred. 1t is, in fact,
; sane plan for the prevention o
race hatred.
i, The United States is not attempt
ing to establish any racial suprem
) acy for the world; il is willing f
accord to every rase the right +
maintain itself in peace and pros
perity in its own domain. DE
Moines Capital.