Evening star., 1924-03-14
CURB ON JAPANESE
! MAY Be REJECTED
Senate Held Unfavorable to
Exclusion Feature Pro-
posed by House.
nY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

California submitted an impressive
case for Japanese exclusion before
the Senate immigration committee
this week. but her views are not
likely to prevail. The Senate is al
most certain to reject the exclusion
features of the House bill and place
Japanese immigrants on the same
quota basis as other aliens. This is Sec
retary Hughes recommendation,
made frankly in the interest of
amicable relations between the
United States and Japan. If the
House quota proposals, which rest on
the 1890 census, are adopted, between
zoo and 800 Japanese could enter
American territory annually. If the
Senate immigration bill. which is
based on the 1910 census. prevails, some
1000 Japanese would be eligible to
admission.
American Oil Men Haired.
At the very moment the California
eXcluSioniSt delegation, including v.
s. McClatchy of Sacramento, former
Senator phelan of San Francisco and
Ulysses :. Webb, attorney general of
the state, We're presenting their views
at the Senate, an Americana Japanese
incident occurred in the far east.
Two Americans representing the
Sinclair oil interests attempted to
enter the northern section of Sagha-
lin Island. which Japan now occupies.
The Sinclairs in 1923 received q con-
CeSSton from the soviet government
to exploit the northern Saghalin oil
fields. Japan does not recognize so
Wet RuSSiaS rights to the occupied
portion of Saghalin. SO the Sinclair
representatives We're seized and de-
ported as treSpaSSerS. News dis
patches from Toxic report that they
were placed aboard Il Japanese gun
boat, virtually under arrest. Jap
anese newspapers. according to the
same dispatches, We're discussing the
possibilities of grave issue" over
the Saghalin oil fields in consequence
OF the seizure Of the Sinclair men.
Want "ISsues" Avoided,
II is precisely issues" of this sort,
the State Department feels, which
could easily be distorted into serious
incidents II Japan is goaded into an
attitude of hostility toward America
by offensive immigration legislation
NO responsible authorities in Wash
!hSton. either American or Japanese.
lInas1ne that Japanese exclusion from
the United States would mean war be-
tween the two countries. But there
IS Il we'll grounded fear that il would
certainly create state of diplomatic
tension so disagreeable that out of
an ordinarily trifiing episode a more
Japan. in other words. would he in
a mood to be ugly" Her pride would
be offronted by being stigmatfzed. by
act OF congress. as a nation of third
or fourth rate quality, whose nationals
We're not entitled TO the consideration
which the United States shows to the
citizens of Liberia or Turkey or
Patagonia.
Sees Conference Nullitied
SrrTPrarv hap
~ that II Congress insists on enact
ing japanese exclusion legislation
the Washington armament conference
may Just as well not have been held
me me work Of laying foundations of
peace IN the Pacific. in his opinion.
VIII be uprooted and demolished
lnere Will hardly be another oppor-
tunity to accomplish the results
achieEed here two years ago Japan
will be incurably aggrieved. Sba
would not be easily persuaded to place
confidence in assurances of America's &
desire to live on terms of friendship
and amity with her.
Secretary Hughes understands the
Cailfornlan contention that oriental
aliens are "unassimilab bile" as Amer
1can citizens. He has not urged thar
congress do anything TO make them
eligible to citizensl ip. But he
strongly argues that IT is better to
have the double chec'" on japanese
Immigration that the quota system
Plus the gentlemen's agreement of
1918, would provide
Administration Favors Agreement.
The administration is firmly of
opinion that such solution even If
does provide for the regular arrival
of some hundreds of Japanese aliens
year. is better and saner solution
than to pass laws bound to cause a
bitter relationship between the United
States and Nippon.
The administra tion's view in short
Is that America must take a national
and international view of all the
equations involved. rather than a