Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-27
JAPAN S|NOLDERS
AS COOLIDGE SIGNS
ACT OF EXCLUSION
Necessity of Quick Action
Also SWays Executive.
Jap RumbIings Grow

President Coolidge.
Despite the provision making Jap
anese exclusion effective next July
i 1, put into the measure over his Wig.
orous opposition, the president de
cided because of other considerations
to give the executive approval nee
essary to spread the legislation on
the statute books.
1T was pointed out that inasmuch
as the present immigration law ex.
pires on June so a veto might have
made it necessary to rush through
an emergency measure in the closing
hours of the session.
Such step, the president felt,
would not be practicable, in view of
the tangled legislative situation and
the certainly that any emergency
provision would be peset by many
attempts at amendment and possibly
blocked altogether
AS soon as he had affixed his sig
nature to the bill, the president be-
san III a SldtClllSnl ga
pressing his disapproval of the fail
ure of congress to provide for a
longer delay in the effective date Of
Japanese exclusion
Jap Rumblings Heard
At the same time, rumblings of
deep-seated resentment against the
exclusion clause were heard from
Japan, where different groups
passed resolutions indicating bitter
ness against Washington for it's ac-
tion
The presidents statement declared
he had approved the bill because of
the necessity of considering 'the bill
as a whole, and the imperative need
OF the country for legislation of this
general character
If the exclusion provision stood
alone, the president said, he would
have disapproved it without hesita
ton.
The presidents statement follows
I'm signing this bill which in its
main features / heartily approve, !
regret the impossibility of severing
from it the exclusion provision
which, in the light of existing law,
affects especially the Japanese.
II gladly recognize that the enact
ment of this provision does not i'm
ply any change in our sentiment of
admiration and cordial friendship for
the japanese people, a sentimen:
which has had and will continue to
have abundant manifestation.
Thinks Understanding Wiser
The bill rather expresses the de-
termination of the congress to eXer
else its prerogative in defining by leg
islation the control of immigration
instead OF leaving it to international
arrangements. 1t should be noted
that the bill eXempts from the eXclu
sion provision government officials
those coming to this country as tour.
lists or temporarily for business or
pleasure, those in transit, seamen.
those already resident here, and re
turning from temporary absences,
professors, ministers of religion, stu
dents, and those who enter solely to
carry on trade in pursuance of exist
ing treaty provisions.
But we have had for many years
an understanding with Japan by
which the Japanese government has
voluntarily undertaken to prevent
the emigration of laborers to the
United States, and in view of this
historic relation and of the feeling
WHICH lUSplE6Q IL, II WOllu nave DteH
much better in my Judgment, and
more effective in the actual contro,
OF immigration, if we had continued
to invite that cooperation which ia
(-pan was ready to give and had thus
{ avoided creating any ground for mis-.
apprehension by an unnecessary
statutory enactment.
Exclusion Clause 0utweighed
'"That course would not have dero-
gated from the authority of the con,
gress to deal with the question in
any eXigency requiring its action
There is scarcely any ground for dis
agreement as to the result we want,
but this method of securing it is UNI
necessary and deplorable at tAi;
time.
IF the exclusion provision stood
alone l should disapprove it without
hesitation, if sought in this way at
this time. But this bill is a compre-
hensive measure dealing with the
whole subject of immigration AND
setting up the necessary admlnlstra'
tive machinery The present quota
act of 1921 will terminate on June
80 next. II is of great importance
that a competitive measure should
take its place, and that the arrang =
ments for its administration should
ne llONlNlSQ CT OiNG III OANNA W S'NNAN'
hardship and confusion.
II must. therefore, consider the
bin as a whole, and the imperative
need of the country for legislation OF
this general character. For this rea-
son the bill is approved.
Jap Issue Dominant
Besides the Japanese exclusion fea'
ture. the bill contains number of
which ha SiS of
stubborn contests when the legisla-
ton first was under consideration IN
senate and house. One question long
in dispute was the method of deter
mining national quotas, which un
der the measure as finally passed
are reckoned at per cent on the
basis of the 1890 census.
This and all other disagreements
over the bills provisions have been
subordinated to the Japanese eNclu
sion issue ever since Ambassado,
HaniharI 81 April IL sent note tc
the state department suggesting that
the possibility of grave conse
auences'' be considered before an alb
solute legislative barrier was rearel
against the Japanese. The note was
characterized in both senate and
house as a yelled threat. and boil
reaIfirmed quickly and by over
whelming majorities their desire fol-
exclusion.
The house passed the bill 50 Il
II and the senate g. to 6. Under th'
house measure, exclusion would hay,
been effective July l of this year
but the senate voted to make it ef
fective Immediately. While the leg
islation was in conference the presi
dent appealed directly TO the con
fereeS TO write in a postponemen
until March l. 1926 50 as to perni
negotiation of an agreement witt