MOTION SHELVED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 42, 19 February 1938, Page 10

MOTION SHELVED

CLOSED DOOR TO JAPAK

CANADIAN PARLIAMENT

B.C. OPPOSITION

(United -Tess Association — By Electrte

Telegraph—Copyright.)

(Received February 19, 1.30 p.m.)

OTTAWA, February 18.

Issuing a warning that it was not the time to offend any nation, the Prime Minister (Mr. Mackenzie King) secured the shelving in the House of Commons of the motion to exclude Japanese from Canada, seven British, Columbia members voting against the Prime Minister.

Declaring that he was in full sympathy with British- ..Columbia, Mr. King said that the problem was. more even than for the whole of Canada. It was really an Empire matter. He drew attention to the Japanese resentment of.their exclusion from the United States in 1934, and added: "Are people within Japan stirring up feeling against Britain, and what will be the situation in respect to Japan tomorrow if a British Dominion adopts the policy of exclusion? British Columbia is facing one problem now and might be facing another, more menacing."

He promised to make an investigation into the alleged illegal entry of Japanese, and said the Government would rigorously, apply the gentlemen's agreement permitting. the admission of only 150 each year.

After the adjournment the seven British Columbia "members launched a "White British Columbia" campaign. In a series of resolutions to be placed before the House of Commons they will demand the elimination of Japanese from British Columbia fishing, an embargo on the exportation of war materials to Japan, the exclusion of Japanese seamen from Canadian ships, and overtures by the Government to Tokio proposing the abrogation of the gentlemen's agreement.

The Prime Minister stated that much might be gained by' negotiation: *

A cable received from Victoria, 8.C., on January 27 states:—The Premier (Mr. T. D. Pattullo) announced his intention to discuss the problem of Japanese in British Columbia with the Federal Government. "It was a mistake to permit them to enter in the first place," he said, "and it is now aggravated into' a serious problem." It is understood that he intends to ask for a complete ban on Japanese and Chinese immigration for five years. The total number of Japanese in British Columbia is 25,800, an increase of 65 per cent, since 1921. ■ ;