THE JAPANESE QUESTION IN SAN FRANCISCO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13396, 26 January 1907, Page 7

THE JAPANESE QUESTION IN SAN FRANCISCO.

JKUOII OIK OWN COKIIBSI'ONDKVI'.]

San L'n smisi o, December 28. A iui.im; made by I he Board of Kducation under section J662 of the Stale School Law of California has had tin- effect of alarming nations, causing the President of the United Slates to use vitrioltic language concerning San Francisco in his message to Congress, and raising an issue between federal and State* Governments that will give lire to much eloquence. Strange to relate, in San Francisco itself the feeling is one of wonderment, almost, that, the law should be taken so seriously by outsider, while, on the other hand, there is a. unanimity of opinion that the Japanese are well treated when the American taxpayers provide them with educational facilities free of cost. Above all there is a stern belief that grown Asiatics have neither legal nor moral right in schools intended for the young of the citizens. It is the old cry of a "white America," intensified in this ease by the knowledge that the meat-cater is at a disadvantage in competition with the consumer of rice. The morals—or rather want of morals— places the Japanese on a lower plane than that represented by the standard of American citizenship. The law reads: '•Trustees shall have the power ... to establish separate schools for Indian children and lor children of .Mongolian or Chinese descent. When such separate schools are established, Indian. Chinese, or Mongolian children must not be admitted into any other schools."

Before the calamity of April 18 there was an Oriental school established by the Board of Education. It was overcrowded, and Japanese children were permitted to attend white schools, simply because of lack of room. The special school was reserved for Chinese. After the tire it became possible to enforce the law, against which there had formerly been no protest. Several school buildings were, destroyed, and the temporary structures erected, were inadequate to house the white children. As a natural consequence, the plain law was enforced, and as the children of Mongolian descent had decreased in number, both Japanese and Chinese were assigned to the Oriental school.

One day a Japanese official visited tin* school, spoke to the pupils of his race in their native tongue, and the clay following only one boy presented himself for tuition. It cannot be too plainly denied that Japanese have been excluded from the schools of the State of California. A public school has been provided for them. The same number of competent and trustworthy teachers that are assigned to instruct an equal number of white children are detailed for work among these -Mongolians, and all the advantages of a common education are provided. And this in the face of the facts that the Japanese are not taxpayers, that many of the pupils are older than the white children with whom they formerly associated, and that it is easier to educate, the races apart.

Aaron Altmann, president of the San Francisco Board of Education, says: "Great and continued objection had been made to Japanese children of the age of 15 years, or thereabouts, who join classes where little white girls and boys of probably six years of age, attend, 'the people of California have fixed ideas concerning these things, and since they have dealt extensively with these people from the Orient, perhaps- their judgment in the matter is the best."

The Japanese Consul, who is authority for the statement that there are 10,000 of bis countrymen in San Francisco, urges treaty rights, fair play, and adds that the Hoard of Education is violating the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution of the .State of California. He says that there are 93 Japanese pupils affected, that twothirds are under the age of 15 years, and of the other third none were above 20, and only a few of that age. Then came President Roosevelt's bitter arraignment. The veiled threat to use force, if needs be. to preserve the peace, and give the Japanese protection, has raised a storm of disapproval, for the good and sufficient reasons that California, is well within, her rights in passing such school laws as she deems proper, and because the Mikado's subjects are not molested in the city of San Francisco, or elsewhere in the country.

A cry of honor was emitted when President Roosevelt advocated the naturalisation of the Japanese, with all the attendant rights and privileges of citizenship. The United States has one race question—the coloured, There is nothing attractive in the doctrine thai the white and yellow should commingle. The Presidents message has been .so severely criticised by newspapers of standing, that it is believed the chief executive has overstepped the bounds, and his desire to do the whole thinking for the nation on every question is becoming burdensome. Not' only has the press told him this, but constitutional lawyers of world-wide repute in Congress have cited him for his advocacy of Federal interference in State affairs.

Secretary Victor H. Mekalf. of the Department of Commerce and Labour, was deputed to investigate the Japanese question in San Francisco. His report was biassed, and in some lespeets untruthful. He avoided the main issues, and devoted his energies to describing the efforts of trade unionists to divert patronage from Japanese eatinghouses to white restaurants.

The press of California is unanimously in favour of tin- Board of Kdncation's. action. One quotation will suffice. It appeared in me San Francisco Argonaut, a paper of general reputation, with anything' but trade union leanings : —"The reason that we in California are calm in the presence of this crisis is, hirst, because we know we are right : second, because we hope to convince our countrymen that we are right ; third, that if we fail so to convince them, we will, whatever they do or say, do what we know to be right.''

Hack of the discussion lies the coining struggle for supremacy. The Japanese coolies are pouring into San Francisco at the rale of 1000 each month. They are labourers of the poorest type, as a rule, though there are intelligent .students among them. Japanese customs, methods of living, and morals are not ours. We have no desire to glory in the debasement of women. California is under process of peaceful invasion by the Mikado's subjects. They are numerous in the cities, working for less than white labour, living like Chinese, operating stores and factories, and selling goods and products at a lower rate than their American competitors, for obvious reasons. In flic fruit sections Ihe Japanese have a blighting hold. Deceitful and cunning, their " efficiency as labourers" —to (piote President Roosevelt—is deplored by fruit"rowers, who prefer the Chinese as workers. Since Japan's victory over Russia, the little brown men have developed the idea that they are world boaters. A cartoon in one of their papers shows a Jap trimming Uncle. Sam's heard. This is characteristic of their egotism. Certainly the Mikado would have naught to fear from Japanese oaths of allegiance to the United States. As citizens, the Japanese arc impossible. As one speaker at a mass meeting in San b'rancisco stated: "Their, arc worse tilings than war.''

Immigration Commissioner Sargent lias returned from a, visit to Honolulu. lie says there are probably 60,000 Japanese in the Hawaiian Islands, and they are, arriving there at the rale of from 600 to 1000 a, month, lb- adds that, these soon cross to I lie Pacific coast, and that our gain (and loss) has been 12,000 in 12 months. The issues are momentous. They affect the world's peace. It. is devoutly to be hoped that diplomacy will evolve a solution, but, it, must not be at the expense of adding to the vexatious race problems already confronting the American people, nor must it be at The coot of lowering a standard of citizenship that has taken years to attain, and whose foundation would be contaminated by Mongolian intercourse.