JAPAN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 72, 26 March 1919, Page 5

JAPAN

PRINCIPLE OF RACIAL EQUALITY AND THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. IMMIGRATION QUESTION NOT PUSHED. (Australian and N.Z; Cable Association) (Rec. March 26, 8.45 a.m.) PARIS, March 23. The Chief of the Japanese Press Bureau attached to the Peace _ delegation, in an interview, said the idea that Japan was seeking to amend the League Covenant to prevent , discrimination between aliens who seemed advanced enough and qualified to become members of the League, Ho believed the League could not be solidly found* cd on any other basis. It must be founded in equity, because the citizens of the nations would bo compelled if necessary to sacrifice life to defend the League. , U He believed that it never. entered the minds of the Japanese delegates to utilise the amendment in order to press for a solution of the immigration question. The former should not be confused with immigration. It was the. unanimous demand on the part of the Japanese people to have the equality principle clearly embodied in tho Covenant.

(In this connection it is interesting to recall the wise and statesmanlike utterance of Viscount Ishii, cabled the other day. It will be remembered he urged that (the principle of racial equality should be adopted, leaving it to Japan to settle amicably with interested countries the immigration problem. “Nothing will bo further from Japan’s thought,” luv said, “than hastily to force an issue, even, if an article against racial discrimination were inserted in the LeagUC'-of Nations Covenant.” It is less known, perhaps', than it ought to bo, that .the difficulty between America and Japan was settled long ago by what is called “d gentleman’s agreement" between the two Governments, under which Japan has restricted, almost, but not quite, to the point of prohibition, emigration to America. This agreement has been most faithfully observed for years. Thu other day the Sydney Herald was urging that Japan would not be. likely to cause trouble: “Japan fully , realises that this question of immigration into British territory would lead, if pressed, to veiy serious complications between the British Government and the various other British Administrations poversea,. just as the attitude and " action of the Pacific Coast States embarrassed the Administration at Washington -on the very same problem. We are inclined to 'think that Japan will do no more at the Peace Conference than make_ a suggestion that the principle of equality between nations be recognised, arid will then- take the wiser course of allowing the problem of immigration to adjust itself automatically’ as. time on and Western ideas become more widely known and put. into practice' in the Far East ”