Evening star., 1924-06-06

Opinions of editors toward Japan's
protest against japanese exclusion in
the new immigration law again brings
out the expression Of many minds on a
many sided question The New York
World says the protest sis in excellent
spirit and not wanting in force of argu-
ment, but as an appeal for fair dealing
and observance of treaties it will fall
upon deaf ears except as to American
public opinion"
Their hope of reopening the whole is-
sue, the St Paul Dispatch is confident
cannot conceivably be Immediately at
tanned, since the matter has been closed
by enactment of the law" however, tho
protest will serve the purpose of plac-
ing japan formally on record against
the proviso, and probably is counted
upon in Japan to be of advantage when
the matter of immigration legislation
again appears in Congress in the fu-
ture." The Spokane Spokesman Review
declares 1.-The protest has no foundation
in International law or japanese prece-
dent and it recalls that the gentle
mems agreement was to be set aside if
it did not work satisfactorily. The
Spokesman Review claims the Japanese
have violated this agreement by sending
thousands of picture brides" and by
certifying immigrants as students" who
spent only few weeks in American
schools and then accepted employment
and later became proprietors of various
business enterprises. The Spokesman
evasioe of the agreement, and it con-
cludes ~in the face of the facts and rec
ords it is presumptuous. inconsistent and
in bad taste for the Japanese govern
ment to lodge q protest against our re-
Gently enacted immigration law" Al
though the Portland, Ore, Journal con-
cedeS the japanese have right to pro-
test, and that the United States will give
full consideration to anything they have
to say relative to exclusion, yet it in
sists ''the United States, in this case
and in all others, must insist on it's
right to make its own laws for it's own
protection and its own people"
X
mo protest possibly could be Iogi-
ical and consistent" in the opinion of
the Sioux City Journal, which ex-
plains that Americas statute books
have a law that the Japanese are not
eligible to become American citizens"
and that "the decision of the Supreme
Court did not insult the Japanese"
therefore, +the whole objection seems
to be based on the fact that an outlet
for their expanding population has
been closed If the total exclusion,
continues the Philadelphia Record,
sis an injustice and affront to Japan
the greater part of that injustice and
affront was accepted by Japan several
years ago." In substance as we'll as
in temper, the protest, according to
the Louisville Courier-Journal, "in-
dicates that the government that is
sued 1t is not quite sure its position is
impregnable-thes simple truth is that
the government at Toxic Is confront
ed by the insuperable logic of the
American governments reasoning,
namely, that each nation, in its SOW
ereign capacity, has the right to regu-
late, as 1t may see fit, its domestic at
fairs"
So far as the diplomatic relations
of the two countries are concerned,
the Springfield Republican maintains,
I'VE may look to the note for guild
ance in regard to the attitude Of the
Japanese government; but to gauge
the feeling of the Japanese people we
must take into account not merely
this dignified official protest, but the
growing anti-American agitation
which this dramatic hara-kiri is like
ly to intensity" The protest is sig
nificant, the Dallas Journal suggests,
because, "in the face of so much pop
ular resentment, leaders of both par
ties in the houses of the japanese
Diet have pledged themselves to work
for restoration OF the old amity' be-
tween the two countrtea
while there Ia snd,tnttmation Of